Banteay Srei was built in 967 by Yajnavaraha who was Rajendravarman’s (944-968) counselors, and Jayavarman V's (968-1001) Guru. Its name literally means "Citadel of the Women," presumable referring to its size and delicate decoration. Due to the temple’s miniature scale and exquisitely carved surfaces (linked to wood carving techniques), Banteay Srei is often referred to as the "jewel of Khmer art." Its distinctive features include the devata guardians in niches flanking the doors and false doors, the tapestry-like carved decoration of the temple walls, and the exuberant and sumptuous relief sculpture of its pediments and lintels, depicting scenes from the Ramayana and the Mahabharata. The approach to the central sanctuary was once guarded by statues of Garuda, monkey, lion and Yaksa figures, which have since been removed for their protection, and replaced with cement replicas, which have in turn been targeted by looters. The temple was discovered by the French in 1914, to be restored for the first time by H. Parmentier and V. Goloubew in 1924 and by Henri Marchal between 1931 and 1936, using the technique of anastylosis.