Emily Chan
At a UNESCO World Heritage Site in Cambodia, 12 sandstone statues were unearthed, and some of them were more than a thousand years old.
The discovery took place in Angkor, which is one of three UNESCO sites in Cambodia. It is located near the city of Siem Reap.
According to researchers, the statues, which were identified as “door guardians,” were buried by the north gate of Angkor Thom, the 11th-century capital of the Khmer Empire. Teams of workers had been looking for fallen stones around the entrances to the complex when the statues were found.
One of the lead archaeologists of the excavation said they were buried up to 4.5 feet below the surface. Even after so much time spent underground, the statues are still in relatively good shape.
The artifacts measure between 39 and 43 inches tall. Once they recorded the statues’ positions, the archaeologists removed them for cleaning and restoration work. Eventually, the statues will be returned to their original spots around the temple’s gate.
The facial hair ornamentation on the statues allowed the researchers to determine that they were made in the Khneang Style.
“Experts believe these door guardians statues exemplify the Khneang Style, aligning with the construction period of the 11th-century palace,” said the Apsara National Authority.
Angkor Thom is situated within the Angkor Archaeological Park, a site that covers about 154 square miles. It was named a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1992.
The latest find was part of a collaborative effort between the Apsara National Authority and the China-Cambodia Government Team.
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