Rare Turtle Statue Found in Angkor

Thursday, April 25, 2024

(Cambodian Heritage Protection Police)

SIEM REAP, CAMBODIA—A rare sandstone sculpture of a turtle has been found at Bayon Temple in the Angkor Archaeological Park in Siem Reap, according to a report in The Phnom Penh Post. The Bayon temple was built in the late twelfth and early thirteenth century A.D. during the reign of the Khmer ruler Jayavarman VII (reigned 1181–1220) and is best known for the many enormous carved faces of the Buddha that adorn its highly decorated exterior. The sculpture was found beneath a previously unknown pond by archaeologists from the Apsara National Authority (ANA), which oversees the park. “While many believed there was nothing left to find, our archaeological research has uncovered evidence that Bayon Temple actually boasted two ponds on its eastern side,” says ANA spokesperson Long Kosal. “This necessitates a reassessment of the historical significance of these sites.” Bayon Temple is just one of hundreds of structures built by the Khmer rulers from the ninth to fifteenth century, including Angkor Wat and Angkor Thom, that are now inside the 155-square-mile park. To read about a lidar survey of 900 square miles of the greater Angkor region, go to "Angkor Urban Sprawl," one of ARCHAEOLOGY's Top 10 Discoveries of 2017.