What Is This Animal?

[Carmine6]

Bambina: Our Favorite TV Animal Expert to the Rescue!

That website is one of several that tend to believe the carving actually depicts a stegosaur, and that it is strong evidence that people (at the time the carving was added to Angkor Wat) would have either seen the creature or at least been very familiar with it because the creature was alive and well, stomping around the area at the time.

So... what do YOU think the carving shows? Why?

"Dragon" bones have been sold in some parts of China for years, and when they are examined, they are actually dinosaur bones. If this is a stegosaur, the artist likely saw a stegosaur fossil somewhere, or maybe a drawing by someone who did. It wouldn't have needed to be a full fossil either, they could have just filled in details like the strange head with the "horns" or "ears". They wouldn't have known that it was millions of years old.

[AmeriThai]

"Dragon" bones have been sold in some parts of China for years, and when they are examined, they are actually dinosaur bones. If this is a stegosaur, the artist likely saw a stegosaur fossil somewhere, or maybe a drawing by someone who did. It wouldn't have needed to be a full fossil either, they could have just filled in details like the strange head with the "horns" or "ears". They wouldn't have known that it was millions of years old.

I understand what you mean about dragon bones. I would think if someone found most of the fossilized bones of a stegosaur and could even remotely envision what it might have looked like, a major shrine would have been built around it.

Regardless, I seriously doubt that’s the case with the Angkor Wat pillar. If you look at some of the carvings enclosed in circles, they seem to portray common events of everyday life and things the people would have been familiar with.

Mythological dragons (even if some are based on actual dinosaur fossils) are generally regarded as creatures with supernatural powers. However, in the Angkor Wat carvings, we see things that appear to be much more ordinary and natural, some with decorative features (halos) added.

By removing the so-called ‘plates’ from the back of the mystery animal (as shown in the original post), it starts looking a bit more normal. As has already been shown, the ‘plates’ are not dinosaur plates at all, but appear to be stylized halos, which are the same style carved on the outer circular ring that surround each of the scenes. I showed the comparison of the halo elements in a previous post. The exception is the mythological image at the bottom holding a sword, probably a guardian, and holding up all the images above.

Although there’s no absolute certainty, the ‘mystery animal’ appears to be a member of the bovine family as myself and others have suggested. To me, it makes sense because it perfectly relates with the other carvings on the pillar, which include scenes of animals and scenes of people doing things - common everyday subjects. The only thing that really looks odd about the image is the massive tail. But as I also indicated, there are a good number of non-mysterious reasons why it was probably carved like that.

I understand there are some tours in Cambodia that puts an emphasis on the carving. It’s a lot more sensational and attracts more attention calling it an “ANCIENT DINOSAUR CARVING!” than to call it a “stone carving of a water buffalo”. I’m sure there are plenty of gullible tourists who are more than willing to believe it.

[BambinA]

what do YOU think the carving shows? Why?

i need to check when that dinosaur was born and when angkor wat was built

[thaibebop]

what do YOU think the carving shows? Why?

i need to check when that dinosaur was born and when angkor wat was built

Trust me they are separated by millions and millions of years. Humans didn't live at the same time that dinosaurs did.

[AmeriThai]

what do YOU think the carving shows? Why?

i need to check when that dinosaur was born and when angkor wat was built

HAHAHAHA! Good idea Bambina! When you find out when it was born, maybe we can throw a big birthday party for it.

[englishoak]

[thaibebop]

Come on guys, so she doesn't know. I am sure they didn't teach it in Thai schools, because "it won't get them a job".

[AmeriThai]

Come on guys, so she doesn't know. I am sure they didn't teach it in Thai schools, because "it won't get them a job".

I think Bambina said that as humor. And excellent at that. But just in case, I'm still all for throwing the steggy a bash. Anything that's been around as long as a stegosaurus deserves a party.

[thaibebop]

Come on guys, so she doesn't know. I am sure they didn't teach it in Thai schools, because "it won't get them a job".

I think Bambina said that as humor. And excellent at that. But just in case, I'm still all for throwing the steggy a bash. Anything that's been around as long as a stegosaurus deserves a party.

I thought she was joking at first but I didn't see a smiley. She always puts smiley's when she is joking. So, I didn't want to take the chance that she wasn't joking and hurt her feelings. I was being nice, only happens once in a blue moon, ya know.

[AmeriThai]

I thought she was joking at first but I didn't see a smiley. She always puts smiley's when she is joking. So, I didn't want to take the chance that she wasn't joking and hurt her feelings. I was being nice, only happens once in a blue moon, ya know.

I understand. And that was a very considerate gesture of you as well. No one was trying to ridicule or hurt Bambina's feelings. She seems to have a very sharp mind and a good of humor. I imagine there are plenty of times when most of us don't add a smiley... or just forget.

I can think of the birth date of one dinosaur though. Wait a minute... that's me!

Edited February 18, 2006 by AmeriThai

[thaibebop]

I thought she was joking at first but I didn't see a smiley. She always puts smiley's when she is joking. So, I didn't want to take the chance that she wasn't joking and hurt her feelings. I was being nice, only happens once in a blue moon, ya know.

I understand. And that was a very considerate gesture of you as well. No one was trying to ridicule or hurt Bambina's feelings. She seems to have a very sharp mind and a good of humor. I imagine there are plenty of times when most of us don't add a smiley... or just forget.

I can think of the birth date of one dinosaur though. Wait a minute... that's me!

With not even over 400 posts you're still fresh!