SEAArch – The Southeast Asian Archaeology Newsblog
Archaeology news from Southeast Asia
via Vietnam Net, 20 April 2018:
An archaeological excavation at the Thang Long imperial city in 2017 has uncovered many traces of former buildings and other artefacts dating from the period of Chinese domination up to the Nguyen Dynasty.
Source: Thang Long imperial city excavation reveals large structures
Today (April 18) is World Heritage Day, and technology company CyArk in collaboration with Google Arts & Culture have just launched the website Open Heritage. The site contains 3D scans of ancient monuments from 27 sites from around the world, including Bagan in Myanmar and Ayutthaya in Thailand!
CyArk’s data has already been used for various research purposes. For example, the data collected at Ayutthaya, Thailand—one of the sites featured in Open Heritage—was used by conservators to study the sinking of a temple after flooding in 2011. CyArk’s work at Bagan, the ancient city in Myanmar, Bagan, which was hit with a devastating 6.8-magnitude earthquake in 2016 that caused damage to several of its Buddhist temples, was incorporated into an Unesco pilot project to study how to best conserve monuments. That data is also plugged into Open Heritage in a virtual tour of Bagan, which shows how the area looked before and after the earthquake hit.
See also:
via The Irrawaddy, 05 March 2018:
Temple’s walls had been replaced in 1996; officials say World Heritage application unaffected
Source: Bagan Temple Damaged in August Earthquake Collapses
See also:
via Interaksyon, 13 Feb 2018:
Centuries-old churches get the digital treatment so they can be restored faithfully once disaster strikes.
Source: Filipino specialists in 3D laser scanning take a swipe at preserving UNESCO World Heritage Sites
via Xinhua, 21 Feb 2018:
Myanmar and Germany have agreed to jointly conserve the cultural heritage of Bagan in northern Mandalay region, the official Global New Light of Myanmar reported Wednesday.
According to a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) signed on Tuesday, Germany will provide technical aid to conduct a project of conserving the Nanpaya Temple, one of the 389 pagodas destroyed following a 6.8-magnitude earthquake on Aug. 24 in 2016.
A training program for maintaining and preserving murals in the Narathihapate Pagoda will also be carried out, the MoU said.
Source: Myanmar, Germany to jointly conserve cultural heritage | Xinhua
via Bangkok Post, 20 Feb 2018: Part of the celebrations include a US Ambassadors Fund for Cultural Preservation (AFCP) allocation to restore and conserve Wat Chaiwatthanaram in Ayutthaya, which was damaged by floods in 2011.
To commemorate the bicentennial of diplomatic ties between the United States of America and the Kingdom of Thailand, the US government and the US Embassy and Consulate in Thailand have been organising various activities in celebration of the important occasion.
via The Nation, 09 Feb 2018: The Culture Ministry is calling for the return of 11th-century stone lintel that originated at Prasat Khao Lon in Sra Kaew, but it’s now in permanent collections at the Asian Art Museum in San Francisco.
The Culture Ministry is expediting the process seeking the return of more than 100 ancient Thai artefacts from overseas.
Source: Culture Ministry calls for return of ancient Thai artefacts from US museums – The Nation
via Bangkok Post, 08 January 2018: If you’re in Bangkok and you like architecture and Lego, there is an exhibition at the Central Ladphrao Mall featuring Lego-ized versions of Thai monuments and temples.
CentralPlaza LardPrao will celebrate National Children’s Day with a stunning showcase of Lego creations during Lego Amazing Kid’s Day, from Thursday to Jan 18.
via Manila Bulletin, 14 December 2017:
Panglao, Bohol – The National Museum turned over on Wednesday the restored Panglao Watch Tower and the St. Augustine Church, two national cultural treasures that were heavily damaged by the 2013 Bohol earthquake.
Source: National Museum turns over restored Bohol watchtowers
via Bangkok Post, 21 December 2017: Built in 1869, Wat Ratchabophit is the symbolic temple of King Chulalongkorn (Rama V) and one of two temples to enshrine the ashes of the late King Bhumibol (Ramax IX).
Apart from Wat Bowon Niwet, which is King Bhumibol Adulyadej’s symbolic temple, Wat Ratchabophit on Ratchabophit Road is one of only two temples that enshrine his ashes. Since Nov 7, when the temple started permitting the general public to pay respects to the royal remains, many have flocked there for this purpose.
Source: Where royal souls reside
