This is a section from a pediment, a decorative framing device positioned above the doorway and lintel, with carved images frequently depicted in the form of narratives from the Hindu epics or Buddhist lessons. It is thought that this piece depicts a battle scene between the Khmer (left) and their Cham enemies (right) from Champa in Vietnam. Musicians in the foreground accompany them with drums and a gong. The Hindu Buddhist kingdom of Champa flourished during the 8th and 9th centuries in central coastal Vietnam. Battles with the Khmer resulted in periodical gains and losses on both sides. Angkor was captured in 1177 by the Chams followed by the invasion of Champa in 1190 by the Khmer king Jayavarman VII after which it remained a Khmer province for at least a couple of decades.
