HASS · Year 8 · The Khmer Empire · Term 3

Khmer Hydraulic Engineering

Students will study the sophisticated water management systems, including barays and canals, that supported the Khmer Empire's agriculture and population.

• ACARA Content Descriptions
• AC9H8K09
• AC9H8K10

About This Topic

Angkor Wat and Religious Life explores the construction of the world's largest religious monument and the spiritual world of the Khmer. Students investigate the temple's design as a physical representation of Mount Meru, the home of the gods in Hindu mythology. The topic also covers the significant shift from Hinduism to Theravada Buddhism, which changed the relationship between the people and the state.

In the Australian Curriculum, this topic emphasizes the role of art and architecture in expressing religious beliefs. By studying the bas-reliefs (carvings) of Angkor Wat, students can 'read' the stories and values of the Khmer people. This topic also provides a point of comparison with the great cathedrals of Medieval Europe or the mosques of the Ottoman Empire.

This topic comes alive when students can analyze the symbolism of the temple's architecture and carvings through peer explanation and visual inquiry.

Key Questions

1. Explain the engineering principles behind the Khmer barays and canal systems.
2. Analyze how advanced water management enabled the Khmer to sustain a massive population.
3. Evaluate the impact of hydraulic engineering on the location and growth of Khmer capital cities.

Learning Objectives

• Explain the engineering principles behind the construction and function of Khmer barays and canal systems.
• Analyze how the sophisticated water management systems of the Khmer Empire supported a large population and agricultural output.
• Evaluate the relationship between hydraulic engineering advancements and the strategic location and growth of Khmer capital cities.
• Compare the water management techniques of the Khmer Empire with those of other ancient civilizations.

Before You Start

Ancient Civilizations and Their Innovations

Why: Students need a general understanding of what constitutes an ancient civilization and the concept of technological innovation to contextualize the Khmer achievements.

Basic Principles of Agriculture

Why: Understanding the fundamental needs of farming, particularly the reliance on water, is essential for grasping the importance of the Khmer water management systems.

Key Vocabulary

Baray	A large reservoir or water tank, typically rectangular, built by the Khmer Empire to store water for irrigation and domestic use.
Canal System	An engineered network of channels designed to transport water from sources like rivers or barays to agricultural fields or urban centers.
Hydraulic Engineering	The branch of engineering concerned with the movement of water, including its control and utilization, particularly in large-scale projects.
Irrigation	The artificial application of water to land or soil to assist in growing crops, crucial for agriculture in regions with unpredictable rainfall.
Aqueduct	A channel or pipe constructed to convey water, often over long distances, from its source to a place where it is needed.

Watch Out for These Misconceptions

Common Misconception

Angkor Wat was always a Buddhist temple.

What to Teach Instead

It was originally built as a Hindu temple dedicated to the god Vishnu and was only later converted to a Buddhist site. A 'Think-Pair-Share' on the religious shift helps students see the temple's long and changing history.

Common Misconception

The carvings are just decorations.

What to Teach Instead

The bas-reliefs were a way of teaching religious stories and recording historical events for a population that was mostly illiterate. A gallery walk of the carvings helps students 'read' them as a historical record.

Active Learning Ideas

Gallery Walk: Reading the Walls

Stations feature high-resolution images of the bas-reliefs from Angkor Wat. Students must 'decode' the scenes, identifying gods, battles, and daily life activities to understand what the Khmer valued.

40 min·Small Groups

Think-Pair-Share: Hindu to Buddhist

Students discuss how the shift from Hinduism (focused on powerful gods and kings) to Buddhism (focused on individual enlightenment) might have changed the way people viewed their God-King.

25 min·Pairs

Inquiry Circle: The Temple as a Map

Groups are given a floor plan of Angkor Wat. They must research how different parts of the temple represent the cosmos (e.g., the moat as the ocean, the towers as mountain peaks).

35 min·Small Groups

Real-World Connections

• Modern civil engineers design and maintain large-scale water infrastructure, such as dams and aqueducts for cities like Los Angeles, drawing on principles of water flow and storage similar to those used by the Khmer.
• Agricultural scientists and irrigation specialists work to optimize water use in regions prone to drought, like parts of India and Australia, by studying historical and contemporary water management techniques to ensure food security.

Assessment Ideas

Discussion Prompt

Pose the question: 'Imagine you are a Khmer farmer during the Angkor period. How would the barays and canals directly impact your daily life and your ability to grow food?' Encourage students to share their responses, focusing on specific benefits and challenges.

Quick Check

Provide students with a simple map of a hypothetical Khmer settlement with a river and potential building sites. Ask them to sketch where they would place a baray and a canal system, and to briefly explain their reasoning based on the principles of hydraulic engineering discussed.

Exit Ticket

On an index card, ask students to list two specific engineering features of the Khmer water system and one way these features helped the empire sustain its population. Collect these as students leave to gauge understanding of key concepts.

Frequently Asked Questions

Why was Angkor Wat built?

It was built by King Suryavarman II in the early 12th century as a state temple and eventually his tomb. It was dedicated to the Hindu god Vishnu and was designed to show the king's power and devotion.

What is Mount Meru?

In Hindu and Buddhist mythology, Mount Meru is the sacred five-peaked mountain that is considered the center of the universe. Angkor Wat was designed to be a physical model of this mountain on earth.

How can active learning help students understand Angkor Wat?

By using 'Visual Literacy' strategies to analyze the temple's carvings, students become active researchers. Instead of just looking at a famous building, they are tasked with finding specific clues about Khmer life and beliefs, which makes the study of architecture much more engaging and meaningful.

How did they build Angkor Wat without modern tools?

It was built using millions of sandstone blocks, which were quarried 40 kilometers away and floated down canals on rafts. Thousands of laborers and hundreds of elephants were used to move and carve the stone.