This is a statue of the monkey Hanuman made of light gray-blue sandstone. It originated from the first gate of Prasat Chen, Koh Ker Temple, in Kulen District, Preah Vihear Province. This statue was looted from the temple in 1960 and later was put on sale in pieces in Bangkok, Thailand. Since 1970, all the of the pieces embarked on a long journey.
They were sold to a buyer in Belgium, from where they were transported to Los Angeles, USA, before concluding their travels at a museum in Cleveland, USA, where they were finally reassembled. On the 10th of May 2015, the museum in Cleveland returned the statue to Cambodia. Where it was immediately registered into the collection of the National Museum.
This statue is in the Koh Ker style, from the first half of the 10th century of the Angkorian period, during the reign of King Jayavarman IV, from 921 to 941 CE. Originally, this statue was constructed from one large piece of stone, but perhaps during times of the looting, it was damaged and broken up into 10 different pieces.
Now it’s back in one piece, the monkey sits on a rectangular base, with the left foot folded and the right knee raised. The left hand props up the elbow of the right hand, which rests on the left shoulder. Its tail curls up all the way to rest behind the head.
The monkey wears a circlet and a five-tiered crown. The face features protruding eyes and a small nose that typify the species. He is dressed in a short sampot chong kben, with a hem dangling in the front and the end tucked in at the back. His hands wear wristbands and bracelets that are adorned with decorated elements.