12 god statues discovered at Cambodia's Angkor Archaeological Park

Archaeologists have discovered 12 guardian god statues during a recent excavation at the northern gate of the ancient Royal Palace inside Angkor Thom in the country's Angkor Archaeological Park, Cambodia's Apsara National Administration (ANA) said on October 28.

View of Angkor Wat temple complex in Siem Reap province. (Photo: vietjetair).

ANA archaeologist Sorn Chanthorn said the discovery was part of a joint project between ANA and the China-Cambodia Government Group for the Protection of Angkor (CCSA). The sandstone statues were found while archaeologists were studying the structure of the gate and searching for fallen stones. Notably, the 12th statue was discovered at a depth of 140 centimeters.

Chanthorn added that the statues were of different sizes and shapes, with some measuring 110cm tall and others measuring 100cm. Each statue had different decorations on its face and hair. Immediately after the discovery, the team recorded the original location of the statues, took photos, and prepared to clean and restore them before returning them to their original locations.

According to archaeologist Chanthorn, experts believe that these gatekeeper statues are typical examples of the Khleang style, which is consistent with the period of construction of the Royal Palace in the 11th century.

The ancient Royal Palace is a large rectangular walled area located in Angkor Thom, part of the Angkor Archaeological Park, Cambodia's most popular tourist destination. According to the state-owned Angkor Enterprise Ticket Office, the Angkor Archaeological Park attracted nearly 700,000 international visitors from January to September 2024 alone, generating ticket sales of $32.5 million. In the entire previous year, the ancient site welcomed nearly 800,000 international visitors, generating ticket sales of $37.1 million.