Khmer Allies

East outer gallery, south wing
Bayon, Angkor Thom

"Chinese"-looking soldiers in the Khmer army wear topknots, long shields, and padded upper garments which, while affording some protection from enemy weapons, must have been uncomfortable in such a hot climate. The soldiers' ethnic origin, and their relationship to the Khmer (mercenaries? allies? confederates? tributaries?) is not known for certain.