Shiva Statue - Antique Angkor Style Khmer Stone Pancha-Mukha Shiva Statue - The Destroyer - 72cm/29"

Shiva Statue - Antique Angkor Style Khmer Stone Pancha-Mukha Shiva Statue - The Destroyer - 72cm/29"

Measures (Height) 72cm/29" (Weight) 57kg/125.9lbs

An antique 12th-century Angkor Wat style Cambodian Pancha-Mukha Shiva, this powerful sculpture exemplifies the authority and refinement of Khmer art at its height. The presence that emanates from this rare five-faced image captures the intensity and spiritual depth characteristic of the Angkor Wat style.

The Khmer Pancha-Mukha Shiva is one of the most striking forms of Lord Shiva in Southeast Asian sculpture. Pancha-Mukha means “five-faced,” referring to Shiva’s manifestation as five sacred aspects, each expressing a different dimension of divine consciousness and cosmic function. In the Khmer tradition—most famously at Angkor—this form unites sophisticated Shaivite theology with Cambodia’s masterful stone carving.

In Hindu thought, Pancha-Mukha Shiva embodies five faces:

• Sadyojata – creation, associated with the west

• Vamadeva – preservation, beauty, aligned with the north

• Aghora – dissolution and transformation, linked to the south

• Tatpurusha – inner awareness and breath, connected to the east

• Ishana – the upward, transcendental face of pure consciousness

Together these reveal Shiva as creator, preserver, destroyer, concealer, and revealer of grace. In Khmer art, the Pancha-Mukha form encodes this theology into a single, commanding image, often with four faces oriented to the cardinal directions and a subtle or implied fifth transcendent aspect.

Here, Pancha-Mukha Shiva is rendered with relatively soft features and minimal adornment. The broad, calm faces with their iconic downcast gaze project quiet authority; the overall silhouette has a deliberate, monumental weight. The carving is exceptionally fine, as seen in the precise treatment of each face, where every contour and line is carefully resolved. The features seem to suggest prana, the inner breath or life force that signals superhuman power.

The figure has been preserved and presented in its unrepaired state, elegantly carved from a solid block of sandstone. As in other works of this period, the ornamentation—though restrained—reveals perfect sculptural control and fluidity. The facial characteristics retain echoes of the earlier Banteay Srei style, yet appear more delicate and refined, showing the evolution of Khmer aesthetics. Shiva is modelled in convincingly human form, yet clearly elevated beyond the ordinary.

Each face appears typically Khmer: serene expression; incised, almond-shaped eyes; joined, gently arched brows above a broad, well-formed nose; a wide, softly full mouth; and elongated earlobes. In keeping with period style, there are no crowns or jewellery. The hair is drawn up into a bulb-shaped chignon at the top of the head, held by what would originally have been a worked gold chain or floral garland—an identifying feature of this corpus. On the forehead lies the Trilochana, Shiva’s third eye, the eye of wisdom that sees beyond maya (illusion) and duality and is the source of his untamed, transformative energy.

Theologically, Shiva’s power is limitless, transcendent, and unchanging, sweeping away ignorance and evil. For devotees, he offers protection, guidance, and a profound sense of belonging, and is honoured as the patron god of yoga, meditation, and the arts. The Khmer Pancha-Mukha Shiva is thus far more than an unusual multi-faced sculpture: it is a sophisticated embodiment of Shaivite doctrine, Khmer artistic brilliance, and universal spiritual principles.

Whether approached as a devotee, an admirer of Asian art, or a serious collector, taking time to contemplate the meaning, iconography, and style of this form can transform the way one lives with it. Used thoughtfully, a Khmer Pancha-Mukha Shiva can become a powerful centre of meditation, reflection, and aesthetic beauty—uniting history, art, and inner transformation in a single, extraordinary image.

This example is mounted on a later wooden base. Traditional in appearance yet visually arresting, it is sure to add a distinctive presence to any room in a home or workplace—an iconic representation of Shiva that brings quiet power and endlessly timeless style to its surroundings.

Provenance: Ex- private French collection. All items are guaranteed to be as described. A Certificate of Authenticity will accompany all purchases upon request.

To aid with safe transport your Buddha will be packed in a wood crate before shipping, with DHL. The cost of wood crating, packing and shipping (with DHL) is included. 

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