900-year-old statues — guardians of a palace gate — unearthed in Cambodia. See them
Archaeologists working near a 900-year-old palace in Cambodia set out to search for rocks. But their project quickly took a more historic turn when they unearthed statue after statue after statue.
The joint Cambodian-Chinese team was working on an entry gate leading to the walled Royal Palace, an 11th-century complex built by kings of the Khmer Empire, APSARA National Authority said in an Oct. 28 news release. The palace is part of the complex that includes the Angkor Wat temple.
While digging around the palace gate, archaeologists made a “remarkable discovery”: 12 ancient “guardian statues.”
The sandstone figures, dated to the 11th century, originally sat atop the gate in two rows, officials said. Each statue was “unique” and of varying size but generally at least 3 feet tall.
Photos show a few of these 900-year-old guardian statues. The sculptures depict a standing figure emerging from a tear-drop shaped background. Several of the figures hold a staff-like object in their right hands. Decorative elements swirl around their heads.
The sculptures vary in preservation. A few look relatively complete and detailed while others are cracked in half or mostly worn away.
The Royal Palace at Angkor Thom was modified regularly for about 600 years by various Khmer kings, according to APSARA National Authority, the department which manages the complex. Archaeologists did not specify if the guardian statues had fallen off the gate or been removed as part of a renovation.
The team plans to clean and restore the 900-year-old statues “before returning them to their initial positions,” officials said. Work at the site is ongoing.
The Royal Palace and Angkor Wat are both part of the Angkor Thom complex in Siem Reap, Cambodia. Cambodia is in southeast Asia, bordering Laos, Thailand and Vietnam.
This story was originally published October 30, 2024 at 8:31 AM with the headline "900-year-old statues — guardians of a palace gate — unearthed in Cambodia. See them."
