Image copyright AFP Image caption Experts say the statue is the most important to have been found at Angkor Wat in recent years

Archaeologists at Cambodia's celebrated Angkor Wat temple complex have unearthed a large statue believed to date back to the late 12th century.

The 2m (6.5ft) sandstone human figure probably functioned as a guardian who stood at the entrance to an ancient hospital, researchers say.

The Cambodia Daily described Saturday's find as "like something that only happens in the movies".

Angkor Wat is one of south-east Asia's most popular tourist destinations.

Last year the complex - which was built over different periods of the Khmer empire from the ninth to the 15th centuries - attracted about 2.5 million visitors.

But many of the complex's most valuable items have been looted.

Experts say that is why the latest find is so extraordinary. It is described as the most important statue to have been found at Angkor in recent years.

Archaeologists found the statue buried 40cm (16in) underground while excavating a hospital built during the reign of King Jayavarman VII who reigned from 1181 to around 1220.

The king had a reputation for social programmes, with the hospital being one of the most prominent.

Image copyright AFP Image caption The 2m (6.5ft) sandstone human figure probably functioned as a guardian who stood at the entrance to an ancient hospital, experts say

The statue's arms and legs are broken but engravings on its body and head can still clearly be seen.

Experts say the hope now is that other objects will be unearthed at the site so that more information can be gleaned on the lifestyles of people of the era.

Historian Rethy Chhem told the Cambodia Daily that the hospital is one of four built in the area, none of which has been properly excavated.

Each hospital contained various statues of divinities, he said, the most prized of which was a statue of the Medicine Buddha.

Media playback is unsupported on your device Media caption Living in the shadow of Angkor Wat (January 2017)

"We would hit gold if we found the statue of the Buddha," Dr Chhem said.

Most Buddha statues were destroyed after Jayavarman VII's reign as part of a push by Jayavarman VIII to reintroduce Brahmanism. Many of those that were not damaged were looted, although it is thought some were buried so they could be preserved.

How did Angkor Wat come to be?

Lasers uncover hidden ancient Angkor Wat cities in Cambodia

Will tourists pay nearly double to enter Angkor Wat?</s>Archaeologists at Cambodia's celebrated Angkor Wat temple complex have unearthed a large statue believed to date back to the late 12th century.

The 2m (6.5ft) sandstone human figure probably functioned as a guardian who stood at the entrance to an ancient hospital, researchers say.

The Cambodia Daily described Saturday's find as "like something that only happens in the movies".

Angkor Wat is one of south-east Asia's most popular tourist destinations.

Last year the complex - which was built over different periods of the Khmer empire from the ninth to the 15th centuries - attracted about 2.5 million visitors.

But many of the complex's most valuable items have been looted.

Experts say that is why the latest find is so extraordinary and is the most important statue to have been found at Angkor in recent years.

Archaeologists found the statue buried 40cm (16in) underground while excavating a hospital built during the reign of King Jayavarman VII who reigned from 1181 to around 1220.

The king had a reputation for social programmes, with the hospital being one of the most prominent.

The statue's arms and legs are broken but engravings on its body and head can still clearly be seen.

Experts say the hope now is that other objects will be unearthed at the site so that more information can be gleaned on the lifestyles of people of the era.

Historian Rethy Chhem told the Cambodia Daily that the hospital is one of four built in the area, none of which has been properly excavated.

Each hospital contained various statues of divinities, he said, the most prized of which was a statue of the Medicine Buddha.

"We would hit gold if we found the statue of the Buddha," Dr Chhem said.

Most Buddha statues were destroyed during Jayavarman's reign as part of his push to reintroduce Brahmanism. Many of those that were not damaged were looted, although it is thought some were buried so they could be preserved.

How did Angkor Wat come to be?

Will tourists pay nearly double to enter Angkor Wat?</s>PHNOM PENH: Archaeologists have unearthed a large, centuries-old statue that is believed to have once stood guard over an ancient hospital at Cambodia’s world-famous Angkor temple complex.

The nearly two-meter-tall artwork, which is thought to date from the late 12th to the early 13th century, was discovered during a dig on Saturday, said Long Kosal, a spokesman for Apsara Authority—the state agency charged with managing the complex.

The new find is the most significant statue discovery at Angkor since two giant Buddha carvings were unearthed in 2011, he added.

The Angkor Archeological Park, a world heritage site, contains the remains of the different capitals of the Khmer Empire, dating from the 9th to the 15th centuries, and is Cambodia’s most popular tourist destination.

At the height of its power the city and its hundreds of temples boasted more than a million inhabitants, making it one of the world’s most populous pre-industrial canters.

Huge swathes of the park have been excavated over the decades, creating a walkable archaeological wonder that attracts more than two million visitors a year.

But the complex continues to yield new finds.

Cambodian archaeologists and experts from Singapore’s Institute of Southeast Asian Studies found the statue buried 40 centimeters (16 inches) underground during an excavation of an Angkor-era hospital built during the reign of King Jayavarman VII.

The Apsara agency said the sandstone statue’s arms and legs had broken off but the carving on the body and head remain beautiful despite the passage of time.

They said the statue was likely to have been a symbolic guardian of the hospital.

Visitors to the Angkor complex encounter a dizzying array of temples, the earlier ones from when Hinduism was the dominant religion of the Khmer Empire and later ones after Buddhism had taken hold.

Archaeologists every year discover fresh data on the remarkable site. New recent research based on aerial laser scans has confirmed the existence of Mahendraparvata, an ancient temple city near Angkor Wat that has barely been excavated.

Updated scans published last year have uncovered iron smelting sites and complex waterways as well as temple foundations that are still to be explored.

The same year archaeologists also uncovered the remains of a 42-foot-long boat from the Angkor era which had been carved from a single tree trunk.

Archaeologists are particularly excited by the discovery of Mahendraparvata because they believe much of what remains of the jungle-covered ancient city has not been looted.

During French colonial rule and the brutal Khmer Rouge regime (1975-79) many of Cambodia’s most priceless statues and archaeological treasures were looted, including those from Angkor.

The Cambodian government has spent years trying to trace the missing items, some of which have since been returned from museums in Europe and the United States. AFP</s>Archaeologists excavating a site at Cambodia's sprawling Angkor Wat temple complex have unearthed a massive statue thought to be the symbolic 'guardian' of an ancient hospital.

The team, including experts from Singapore's Institute of Southeast Asian Studies, discovered the 1.9-meter (6-foot, 3-inch) tall, 58-centimeter (23-inch) wide statue on Sunday, according the Apsara Authority, the government agency that oversees the project.

Experts estimate the ancient hospital site dates back to a period between eight and nine centuries ago, and the remarkable artifact is now said to be one of the largest statues from the era to be unearthed in recent years.

The large statue was discovered by accident by a team studying the relationship between the canal and the ancient hospital, according to Apsara Authority.

It’s missing both of its feet, with the right leg ending just before the ankle, while the left leg ends near the bottom of the thigh.

And, both arms are missing just below the shoulders.

The statue was found buried 40 centimeters (16 inches) under the ground, and will be put on public exhibition in the museum in the northwestern province of Siem Reap, where Angkor is located.

The agency said the statue, believed to be from the 12th or 13 century, is thought to have been a symbolic guardian of the entrance of a hospital built during the reign of Jayavarman VII.

In late 2011, archaeologists at the temple complex unearthed the two largest Buddhist statues found there in eight decades.

Angkor was the capital of the Khmer Empire, which flourished from approximately the 9th to 15th centuries.

Large numbers of architectural and religious artifacts have been looted from there and sold overseas, while others were buried for safekeeping during a civil war in the 1970s.

In the last few years, researchers have turned to more advanced techniques to study the collapsing monuments of Angkor Wat.

Using radar and satellite imagery, researchers can see how changes in groundwater are causing the widespread decay of these unique monuments.

This pioneering method could mean experts can more effectively look after Angkor monuments and other vulnerable heritage structures.

A team of Chinese and Cambodian scientists recently used two-scale synthetic aperture radar interferometry (InSAR) and high-resolution satellite images to track monument collapse.

Traditional conservation methods relied on observation and measuring structures that were already damaged.

And, using laser airborne laser scanning (LiDAR) technology, along with ground penetrating radar, researchers from the University of Sydney recently discovered sprawling structures forming the shape of a giant spiral and an ensemble of buried towers at the ancient site.

While it was once believed that the Cambodian temple was surrounded sacred precincts, or 'temple cities,’ the discovery of a massive sand structure and other buried remnants of the long-gone society, suggests Angkor Wat was much more complex than previously imagined.</s>Describing it as something that only happens in the movies, a team of Cambodian archaeologists have uncovered an 800-year-old sandstone statue weighing 440 pounds. Experts say it's the most significant statue to be discovered in the famous archaeological site of Angkor Park in years. 



Archaeologists and looters have been sifting through the dirt of Cambodia's for years, and these days very little is unearthed other than the odd pottery shard. This area is home to the largest religious monument in the world-a Hindu temple built by the Khmer empire in the early 12th century, and later transformed into a Buddhist monument. So imagine the surprise when archaeologists with the Apsara Authority, the government organization that manages Angkor Park, unearthed this incredible statue, just 16 inches underground.

As The Cambodia Daily reports , the sandstone statue was discovered on the second day of an excavation at Angkor Park, a popular tourist destination. The statue, which once stood six feet and three inches high, is missing its arms and lower legs, but the remainder is surprisingly intact. Engravings on its body and head are still clearly visible. Authorities say the statue will be studied, cleaned, and put on public exhibition in a museum at the northwestern province of Siem Reap, where Angkor is located. 



The statue was made in the image of a guard, and it is thought to have once stood at the entrance of a hospital that was located next to the northern entrance of Angkor Thom, the famed walled city of King Jayavarman VII. During his reign, this 12th century king was responsible for the construction of over a hundred hospitals across his empire. Ankgor was the capital of the Khmer Empire, which prospered from the 9th to 15th centuries. The hospital where this statue was found was one of four built in the area, none of which have been throughly excavated.

"Jayavarman VII's reign was truly remarkable in terms of social programs," said Tan Boun Suy, deputy director-general for the Apsara Authority, in The Cambodia Daily . "The hospital consisted of wooden buildings and a chapel erected in stones. What is left is the chapel...as wooden structures have long disappeared." 



The Apsara archaeologists will be working in the area for another 12 days, and they're hoping to make further discoveries. Not much is known about these hospitals and how they worked, or about the lives or ordinary people who lived during the time. In addition to this massive statue, the archaeologists also unearthed a piece of another statue, and evidence of wooden structures, including roof tiles and ceramics.

The archaeologists are also hoping to find of the Buddha. During the reign of King Jayavarman VIII, many statues of the Buddha were destroyed in an attempt to restore Brahmanism in the country. Some of the remaining statues were looted, but some statues of the Buddha were buried for protection. Back in 2011, archaeologists at the Angkor Wat temple discovered a pair of large Buddha statues , the largest to be found there in eight decades. 



With the discovery of this hospital guard, there's now hope of finding other forgotten treasures.</s>In this July 30, 2017, image made available by the Apsara Authority of the Cambodian Government, archaeologists examine a 1.9-meter (6-foot, 3-inch) tall, 58-centimeter (23-inch) wide statue at Angkor Wat in Siem Reap, Cambodia. Working with experts from Singapore's Institute of Southeast Asian Studies, the Apsara Authority said the 12th or 13th century statue is one of the largest to be unearthed in recent years. (Apsara Authority via AP)

PHNOM PENH, Cambodia (AP) — Archaeologists at Cambodia's Angkor Wat temple complex studying the site of a hospital from eight to nine centuries ago say they have found a large statue in their excavations.

The government agency that oversees the complex, the Apsara Authority, said on its website that the 1.9-meter (6-foot, 3-inch) tall, 58-centimeter (23-inch) wide statue was discovered Sunday by its team, working with experts from Singapore's Institute of Southeast Asian Studies. It is one of the largest statues from the era to be unearthed in recent years.

The agency said the statue, believed to be from the 12th or 13 century, is thought to have been a symbolic guardian of the entrance of the hospital. It was found buried 40 centimeters (16 inches) under the ground, and will be put on public exhibition in the museum in the northwestern province of Siem Reap, where Angkor is located.

In late 2011, archaeologists at the temple complex unearthed the two largest Buddhist statues found there in eight decades.

Angkor was the capital of the Khmer Empire, which flourished from approximately the 9th to 15th centuries. Large numbers of architectural and religious artifacts have been looted from there and sold overseas, while others were buried for safekeeping during a civil war in the 1970s.</s>Archaeologists have unearthed a large, centuries-old statue that is believed to have once stood guard over an ancient hospital at Cambodia’s famed Angkor temple complex.



The nearly two metre tall carving, which is thought to be from the late 12th to the early 13th century, was discovered during a dig on Saturday, said Long Kosal, a spokesman for Apsara Authority – the state agency charged with managing the complex.

The Angkor Archeological Park, a world heritage site, contains the remains of the different capitals of the Khmer Empire, dating from the 9th to the 15th centuries, and is Cambodia’s most popular tourist destination.

At the height of its power the city and its hundreds of temples boasted more than a million inhabitants, making it one of the world’s most populous pre-industrial centres.

Huge swathes of the park have been excavated over the decades, creating a walkable archaeological wonder that attracts more than two million visitors a year.

But the complex remains a treasure trove for yet to be discovered finds.

Cambodian archaeologists and experts from Singapore’s Institute of Southeast Asian Studies found the statue buried 40 centimeters under the ground during an excavation of an Angkor-era hospital built during the reign of King Jayavarman VII.

The Apsara agency said the sandstone statue’s arms and legs had broken off but the carving on the body and head “remain beautiful” despite the passage of time.

They said the statue was likely to have been a symbolic guardian of the hospital.</s>What they found instead was a nearly perfectly intact, centuries-old statue that measures just over six feet tall, weighs 440 pounds, and was found at a site that is 800 years old. The statue was found on July 30, on only the second day of a 12-day dig to study a canal connected to the remains of a 12th century hospital.

In an interview with local paper The Cambodian Daily, archaeologists from the Aspara Authority, the government organization that manages Angkor Park, described the find as "something that only happens in the movies."

A press release from the Aspara Authority claims the statue was buried just 16 inches deep. Much of the ornamental decorations depicting the time period's dress can still be clearly discerned; however, parts of both of its legs are missing.

The statue is sculpted in the image of a guard. Because of its proximity to the ruins of a nearby ancient hospital, researchers believe it likely stood on the facility's grounds by the north entrance of Angkor Thom.

According to the Aspara Authority, there were 102 hospitals built by the 12th century King Jayavarman VII. Hospital complexes consisted of wooden structures, which have since decayed and disappeared, and stone chapels. Four hospitals in the area that had been previously identified are recognizable by temple gates opening toward both the east and west.

Also found nearby were the buried fragments of roof tiles and ceramics, which archaeologists say indicate the presence of wooden hospital structures.

Cambodia's King Jayavarman ruled the Khmer Empire from 1181 to 1220. At the peak of its power, the Khmer Empire also encompassed large swaths of modern day Thailand, Laos, and Vietnam. Angkor Wat, which means "capital temple" was originally constructed for the Hindu god Vishnu before it was later adapted for Buddhist worship.

Archaeologists are hailing the statue's discovery as one of the most important finds in the region in recent years.

Angkor Wat is one of the most important archaeological sites in southeast Asia. It's one of the most visited tourist destinations in the region, seeing more than two million visitors every year.

However, despite the region's current popularity, artifacts have been difficult to come by and protections for the park were only instated when the complex was listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1992.

Many of the site's statues were destroyed by Cambodia's brutal Khmer Rouge regime, and extensive looting followed in the years after the regime's demise.

In addition to research teams lead by the Aspara Authority, the Institute of Southeast Asian Studies’ Yusof Ishak Institute in Singapore participated in the dig with students from Asian countries, the U.S., and Australia.

The statue will be taken to the park's Museum of Norodom Sihanouk where it will be cleaned and placed on display for visitors.</s>– Archaeologists have found a large, centuries-old statue which is believed to have once stood guard over an ancient hospital at Cambodia's renowned Angkor temple complex.The government agency that oversees the complex, the Apsara Authority, said the nearly two-metre-tall statue, which is thought to be from the late 12th to the early 13th century, was discovered during an excavation on July 29.Cambodian archaeologists and experts from Singapore's Institute of Southeast Asian Studies (ISEAS) found the statue buried 40 centimetres under the ground during an excavation of an Angkor-era hospital built during the reign of King Jayavarman VII.The Apsara agency said the sandstone statue's arms and legs had broken off but the carving on the body and head "remain beautiful" despite the passage of time.Angkor was the capital of the Khmer Empire, which flourished from approximately the 9th to 15th centuries. Large numbers of architectural and religious artifacts have been looted from there and sold overseas, while others were buried for safekeeping in wartime in the 1970s.-VNA</s>SINGAPORE - An archaeological field school from Singapore which set-up a 12-day excavation at Cambodia's Angkor Wat, has helped unearth a rare, late 12th century statue.

Buried in a pit about 40cm deep, the approximately two-metre tall sandstone statue, sculpted in the image of a guardian, was dug up on Saturday (July 29) at the ancient Tonle Snguot hospital complex, just two days into a test excavation.

The find has been described by experts the world over as incredible and the most significant in recent years since most of the site's valuable items have been looted.

Speaking to The Straits Times on Wednesday (Aug 2), head of the field team, Dr Kyle Latinis from Singapore's ISEAS-Yusof Ishak Institute's Nalanda-Sriwijaya Centre (NSC), said: "It is extremely rare to discover something so significant just days into our dig. We were lucky and in the right place. We also had a good sampling strategy.

"You do not expect to find statues with their heads intact at Angkor Wat because looters are rampant in these areas and most of the ancient Cambodian statues are held illegally in the hands of private collectors."

The field school and excavation are funded by Singapore's Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MFA) at the cost of about $70,000, said NSC head Dr Terence Chong.

This is the field school's fifth session. It is a three-week archaeological research and training program held in Cambodia and Singapore.

The site was selected by NSC as well as researchers from the Apsara Authority - the Cambodian state agency charged with managing the Unesco World Heritage Site.

The Singaporean team scoped the project, sampling area and directed the excavation effort. This was done in consultation with Apsara Authority, the host partner. The aim is to investigate ancient hospital activities, habitation and structures.

The programme is designed to emphasise the history of intra-Asian interactions over the past 2,000 years and to create a regional identity and a community of scholars from East Asian Summit countries.

There are 14 participants this year, four of whom are from Singapore. The others hail from countries such as the Philippines and Cambodia. They are students and young professionals.

While NSC set-up the excavation, the statue was recovered by Cambodian archaeologists, among others. The statue has since been moved to a museum for protection.

Archaeology undergraduate Natalie Khoo, 22, said: "To witness the rituals conducted for removal of the statue, and the opportunity to work on this historical hospital site, is an exciting and a once in a lifetime experience."

The statue likely came in a pair and flanked a temple or shrine area that was part of the hospital complex, said Dr Latinis.

He added that the statue likely collapsed near the original spot it was first erected in, along with the temple wall. "Although the statue is broken in a few places, it is near complete. It likely collapsed after the site was abandoned," he said.

He added that the other two sections of the hospital complex were dedicated to physical treatment and a medicinal plant garden.

There were about 100 hospitals built by the 12th century King Jayavarman VII who reigned from 1181 to 1218. He was known as the king who had launched the largest and most numerous construction projects.

Prior to that, the Tonle Snguot site had likely been inhabited by a community before it became a hospital. It is unclear how big the hospital complex is as of now and more work needs to be done.

Dr Latinis said that a lot of ceramics, statues and structural remnants have been unearthed so far.

"A whole bunch of questions on the architectural history as well as technological information and industry of the time will be answered," he added.
A 2 meter (6.5 feet) tall 12th century sandstone statue of a human figure is unearthed by archaeologists during an excavation of a Khmer Empire-era hospital built during the reign of King Jayavarman VII at Cambodia's Angkor Wat temple complex in Siem Reap Province.