Visible from the nearby of Moulay Idriss Zerhoun, and from higher points throughout the valley, Volubilis is one of Morocco’s best-preserved Roman ruins located between the Imperial Cities of Fez and Meknès on a fertile plain surrounded by wheat fields. Established before the Christian era, at a time when the area was part of Mauretania, Volubilis was considered the administrative center of the kingdom of Mauretania and also one of the most remote cities within the Roman Empire, located in the far southwestern region. The remaining structures and mosaics tell the tale of a city that once thrived. The ruins that have been spared are beautifully preserved relics of the Roman era. The Arch Of Caracalla is one of Volubilis' most distinctive sights. It was built in 217 by the city's governor, Marcus Aurelius Sebastenus, to honour the emperor Caracalla and his mother Julia Domna. The arch is constructed from local stone and was originally topped by a bronze chariot pulled by six horses. Statues of nymphs poured water into carved marble basins at the foot of the arch. Caracalla and Julia Domna were represented on medallion busts, though these have been defaced. The monument was reconstructed by the French between 1930–34.
The true work of art is but a shadow of the divine perfection - Michelangelo. Every work of art tells a story. In Cambodia, aesthetically stunning monuments and artifacts tell us about a rich tradition steeped in history and symbolism: the stone carving. Earlier Khmer art was influenced by the Indian culture and its Hindu themes. But, by the 7th century, Khmer sculpture began to drift away from its Hindu influences and, through constant stylistic evolution, came to develop its own originality, which by the 10th century, can be considered complete and absolute. During the golden age of the Khmer civilization (9th -12th centuries), Kings of Angkor launched a vast building plan of stone temples. So, the art of stone carving was both a passion and a livelihood for more than a Cambodian sculptor. However, after the fall of the empire, carving became limited in general to the handicraft-type projects we know today. That is, small Buddha sculptures and statues, deity carvings and so on and so forth. Photo taken in Banteay Srei.
The damaged western entrance of Pre Rup. Pre Rup is a temple at Angkor, Cambodia, built as the state temple of Khmer king Rajendravarman and dedicated in 961 or early 962. It is a temple mountain of combined brick, laterite and sandstone construction. The temple’s name is a comparatively modern one meaning "turn the body". This reflects the common belief among Cambodians that funerals were conducted at the temple, with the ashes of the body being ritually rotated in different directions as the service progressed.
