Phnom Da style branch, Cambodia, Khmer Empire, pre Angkor period, 17th century. Stoneware. Attached test MEB-EDAX/ U.A Madrid and certificate of authenticity issued by Le My Hao. Measurements: 105 x 32 x 26 cm; 110 x 30 x 21 cm (with stand). Sculpture of Rama made in stoneware representing a young and unadorned body and beautifully rounded belly, wearing a short pleated sarong tied at the front, the long central pleat elegantly culminating in a "fishtail" shape. Rama is an avatar ('descent' of god) of Vishnu. Phnom Da is the name of the mountain located south of the city of Angkor Borei. Today, there are two temples standing on this mountain and several caves. The Khmer Empire was the largest empire in Southeast Asia and its core roughly corresponded to present-day Cambodia. The empire, which had become independent from the kingdom of Srivijaya and eventually replaced the kingdom of Chenla, controlled or made vassals of present-day Malaysia, Thailand, Laos, Vietnam, Myanmar and Indonesia. During the formation of the empire, the Khmer Empire had very close cultural, political and commercial ties with Java first and with Srivijaya, which were located in the south of the empire. Its most important legacy is Angkor, which was the capital of the empire during its heyday. Angkor is the best testimony of the power and wealth of the empire, as well as the diversity of beliefs that followed one another over the centuries. The official religions of the empire were Hinduism and Mahayana Buddhism until Theravada Buddhism was imposed after its introduction from Sri Lanka in the 13th century. Attached MEB-EDAX/ U.A Madrid test and certificate of authenticity issued by Le My Hao.