Reviving the Giants: Restoration of Ancient Statue at Angkor’s Phnom Bakheng

via Xinhua, 29 March 2024: Cambodian archaeologists, under the APSARA National Authority, have initiated the restoration of a severely damaged, ancient sandstone statue at Phnom Bakheng temple in the Angkor Archaeological Park. The statue, which has lost identifiable features such as its head, arms, and right leg, was previously restored by EFEO. The current restoration involves repairing the base, fixing cracks, and replacing missing parts with newly carved stones, all aimed at preserving the cultural heritage of the late ninth-century temple.

Cambodian archaeologists have begun to restore a larger-than-life sandstone statue in front of the southern library of Phnom Bakheng temple in the famed Angkor Archaeological Park, said the APSARA National Authority (ANA) in a news release on Friday.

Soy Sophearin, a stone conservation expert, said the centuries-old statue was severely damaged, such as in the head, arms, and right leg, making it impossible for experts to identify the statue.

“As for the time and cause of the statue’s collapse, we do not know for sure. However, based on the remaining cement traces, we know that this statue was once restored by the French School of the Far East (EFEO) in the past,” he said.

Source: Ancient statue in restoration at Phnom Bakheng temple in Cambodia’s Angkor-Xinhua