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a077 Ta Prohm - deities installed here were suppose to transfer merit to the kings mum. Apparently housing within its extensive layout (ie; outer walls) 13,000 people. Another 70,000 agrarians lived - sprawled out round the Temple.

Required abt 3,000 tonnes of rice per annum to keep Ta Prohms 'inner circle' fed.

Multiplied by the number of similar Temple-Cities scattered thru Angkor...(do the Maths)...was a BIG 'ask'.

 

The Khmer kingdom...

relied on a Tribute system (of tax), whereby individuals provided goods or labor.

Eventually those that 'did come up with the goods' ... tired of supporting an increasingly 'top-heavy' urban strata, that didn't.

In addition: two major droughts (1362 to 92 : 1415 to 40) : a shift from (god-fearing) Hindu to (benevolent) T. Buddhism : depleting, construction works : and a perceptible Military weakening ... resulted in the Empires 'sacking' and collapse.

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Uploaded on March 15, 2014
Taken on January 23, 2012