| apsara | A beautiful female divinity and celestial dancer, often appearing in the decorative carvings of Angkorian temples. |
| asura | A demon in eternal conflict with the gods. |
| Avalokitesvara | One of the most widely worshipped Bodhisattvas in Mahayana Buddhism, who is often known as the 'Compassionate Bodhisattva'. Also known as Lokesvara. |
| Baray | A large man-made reservoir, often thought to be symbolic of the cosmic ocean. |
| Bodhisattva | In Mahayana Buddhism, an individual who has reached enlightenment but chooses to postpone it in order to help others find the way. Bodhisattvas were a key part of Buddhism as practiced in Angkorian times. |
| Brahma | The god of creation in the Hindu trinity, though in Cambodia he took a subsidiary position to Vishnu and Shiva. He is usually depicted as having four head and four arms, and his vehicle is the goose. |
| Buddhism | Though originating in India, this religion was brought to Cambodia in the early centuries of the Christian era, but did not initially have the same impact as Hinduism. It became widespread in the 13th century, and has since dominated religion in Cambodia. The version of Buddhism prevalent in Cambodia during Angkorian times (though not today), was Mahayana Buddhism, characterized by a belief in bodhisattvas, individuals who have obtained enlightenment but postpone it to help others find the way. As in the form of Theravada Buddhism, practiced in Cambodia today, Mahayana Buddhists aim to reach enlightenment through meditation and right living, in order to escape the cycle of death and rebirth. |
| garuda | The mythical king of birds, who is part man and part bird. He is the traditional enemy of the naga, and the mount of Vishnu. |
| gopura | An elaborate gateway marking the entrance to a religious enclosure. Many Khmer gopuras are of such a scale that they count as temples in their own right. |
| Hariharalaya | For 70 years during the 9th century, this city 12 km southeast of Angkor was the capital of the Khmer Empire. It is nearby the modern town of Roluos, and often goes by this name. |
| Hinduism | Though originating in India, this religion dominated Cambodia until the 12th century, after being introduced at the beginning of the Christian era. Some aspects of it -its caste system, for example -were never adopted in Cambodia. But the key characteristics, like the worship of many different deities and a belief in reincarnation, were central to religious belief. |
| Lakshmi | The consort of the god Vishnu. |
| laterite | A red-brown clay that hardens when exposed to air. It was a key building component of Khmer temples, though was often covered up by sandstone due to its unfinished appearance. |
| lintel | Horizontal block supporting the weight of a structure over a door or window. In Khmer temples they are often purely decorative. |
| Lokesvara | One of the most widely worshipped Bodhisattvas in Mahayana Buddhism, who is often known as the 'Compassionate Bodhisattva'. Also known as Avalokitesvara. |
| Mount Meru | The mythical mountain at the center of the universe that is home of the gods in the Hindu and Buddhist cosmologies. |
| naga | A multiheaded divine serpent-often in the form of a cobra. It is a common figure in Khmer art and architecture, and its body is often used to form the balustrades of Angkorian temples. The traditional enemy of the garuda. |
| Roluos | For 70 years during the 9th century, this city, 12 km southeast of Angkor, was the capital of the Khmer Empire. It's ancient name was Hariharalaya. |
| sandstone | A type of sedimentary rock, and the only type of stone used regularly in Khmer temples. While sandstone allows for a high level of detail in carving, it is very heavy, which prevented Khmer architects from taking full advantage of it until the 10th century. |
| Shiva | The god of destruction in the Hindu trinity, and one of the most prevalent figures in Khmer religion, evidenced by the large percentage of temples dedicated to him. He is frequently represented in Khmer art by the linga, a stone phallus, and often appears with in human form with his consort, Uma. |
| Temple Mountain | A multi-level, pyramidal temple built in the image of Mt. Meru. This design was used by Khmer kings for their state temples. |
| Vishnu | The preserver and protector in the Hindu trinity, and a prevalent figure in Khmer religion. He takes an active role in human affairs, manifesting himself on earth as a variety of incarnations. His mount is the garuda, and his consort is Lakshmi. |