Archaeologists have unearthed more than 100 pieces of sandstone Buddha statues during an excavation at the Ta Prohm temple in northwest Cambodia’s Angkor archaeological park.
The Apsara National Authority (ANA) said in a statement released on Tuesday.
The ANA is the government agency responsible for managing, safeguarding and preserving the Angkor archaeological park, a UNESCO-listed world heritage site, situated in Siem Reap province.
Net Simon, an archaeologist at the ANA’s Department of Conservation of Monuments and Preventive Archaeology, said the discovered statues included Buddha statues sheltered by a Naga.
Also unearthed were Buddha statues in a cross-legged position and Buddha statues with broken heads and hands, among others.
“Some of the statues were about half a meter high and 40 to 50 centimeters in size.
“We concluded that these Buddha statues were made during the Bayon style period in the late 12th or early 13th century,’’ she said.
Built in the late 12th century under the reign of King Jayavarman VII, the Ta Prohm temple is among the key temples in the 401-square km Angkor archaeological park.
This was the most popular tourist destination in the Southeast Asian nation.
According to the state-owned Angkor Enterprise, the Angkor park received 347,534 international visitors in the first quarter of 2024, earning a gross revenue of 16.5 million U.S. dollars from ticket sales.