Dix-huit mois de recherches archéologiques au Cambodge | Archaelogical Research, a 18-month campaign in Cambodia

Photo: A statue found by Dalet in Kandal Province, photographed and described by himself as follows: ​“Une idole féminine, tête, bras et pieds disparus, avec un très bon mouvement du corps, faisant partie d’un пак ta du Vât Teuk Thlà (IK. 74, 8), province de Kandàl, oeuvre de la première période de l’art classique. Le sarong, à rayures verticales, s’évase légèrement en haut, surtout sur le devant; une forte besace, rayée aussi, est presque complètement brisée et un double pan, terminé en accolade, ondule au-dessous de la ceinture. Celle-ci, attachée immédiatement sous la besace par un petit nœud en corde, montre deux rangs d’ovales; les seins, bien modelés, ont leur pointe peu marquée. La hauteur de cette statue est de 80 centimètres.” [A female idol, head, arms and legs gone, with a beautiful body motion, part of one nak ta at Wat Teuk Thla (IK.74,8), Kandal Province, from the first period of the classical period. The vertical-striped sarong is slightly flaring at the top, especially the front part; a sturdy knapsack, also with stripes, is almost completely broken and a double fold ending in accolade ripples beneath the belt. The belt, secured right under the knapsack with a small rope knot, shows two rows of ovals. The well-shaped breasts have slight peaks. The statue is 80 cm high.]

It is interesting to note that

1. Dalet didn’t attempt to associate this statue with a definite female deity such as Uma or Laksmi;
2. we have been unable so far to trace the whereabouts of the statue;
3. approximately at the same time, around 1936, Henri Marchal found at Bakong site (Roluos) a group statue identified as the Umagangapatisvara, the Shivaite triad composed of Uma at the left side, a male deity at the center and Ganga at the right. 

The style and size (107 cm) of the ​‘Parvati/​Uma’ is definitely close to Dalet’s mysterious female figure. Was the latter part of a ​“triad”, too? In her essay ​“A note on a disputed Khmer sculpture of three figures from the Bàkoṅ known as the Lord Umāgaṅgāpatīśvara” (Asia​nart​.com, Nov 2005) Annette L. Heitmann supports the idea that the two ​‘goddesses’ had initially a hand resting on each tigh of the Shiva in this ​“voluptuous yet peaceful composition”.