22 July 2006 (Australian Broadcasting Corporation, citing Reuters; also featured in other news media) – A new hypothesis presented at an international conference on Angkor posits that climate change led to the relatively fast depopulation and abandonment of Angkor.
Climate change could have killed ancient city
A Sydney conference has heard that climate change led to the fall of the ancient Cambodian city of Angkor.
The theory has been presented to an international gathering under the patronage of UNESCO.
Associate Professor Fletcher believes the medieval mini ice age caused climatic instability that lead to water and sediment overwhelming Angkor’s delicately balanced infrastructure.
Related Books:
– Uncovering Southeast Asia’s Past: Selected Papers from the 10th International Conference of the European Association of Southeast Asian Archaeologists by E. A. Bacus, I. Glover and V. C. Pigott (Eds)
– Angkor and the Khmer Civilization (Ancient Peoples and Places) by M. D. Coe
– The Civilization of Angkor by C. Higham
– The Archaeology of Mainland Southeast Asia: From 10,000 B.C. to the Fall of Angkor by C. Higham