AIDS
Angkor Initiative & Discovery Society
Conservation Initiative
Current Conservation Issues
Theft
Since its 're-discovery', theft has been a problem on the site. For example, as a result of being desperate and dangerous, looters, in 1993, attacked the storeroom at Angkor, armed with hand grenades and a rocket launcher. As a result, ten valuable statues were taken. The store room that had once housed over 4,000 items now contained as little as 2,000. It is a rumour that western collectors select items from photographs of objects at the site and locals smuggle them to Thailand. Many Cambodians condemn the looting of their heritage. Once smuggled out of Cambodia, these artefacts are generally lost to Cambodia forever.
Warfare
Civil war broke out in Cambodia in the 1970s. This meant that from 1975 to 1979, no archaeologists could not work on the site, and the jungle quickly gained ground on Angkor. Bullet holes may be seen in some monuments, and the effect of war can be seen in the site management. Before the war, many trained workers, one hundred vehicles, air-conditioned laboratories and power stations were managed by the Angkor administration. After the war, however, one truck remained and many of the specially trained staff were executed.
An example of bullet holes in the monuments at Angkor
Tropical Vegitation
Among Angkor, the jungle regrowth is rapid in the tropics. Vegetation crack walls and strangler figs cause enormous damage. Tree roots spread between cracks in the walls, allowing for water seepage. The dampness therefore encourages lichen and moss to grow, which furthermore produces acids that eat into the rock causing further deterioration.
Structural Issues
The stone monuments built at Angkor rest currently on inadequate foundations, built on beds of sand. This therefore makes the foundations unstable. This eventually allows water to penetrate the stone, breaking through the large block of stone easily, as no mortar was used in-between the blocks of stones in construction. This means that gravity still hold them together at present.
Adressing the issue
In order for the site of Angkor to be preserved well, it is to be valued, and as a result, the local population must be involved and encouraged to value their history. Many already benefit from the wealth brought through legitimate tourism, and others already benefit by selling food and drink, and working in the transport industry.
The local population
A local man working at Angkor
UNESCO
In 1992, the World Heritage Committee placed Angkor on both the World Heritage List and the List of World Heritage in Danger, due to illicit excavation, and other dangers, including landmines. However, in 2006, it noticed that substantial progress had been made, and that the restoration activities coordinated by UNESCO since 1993 were considered a big success. With this, political stability is also necessary.
a classic example of a poorly preserved temple at Angkor
Other idividuals and groups
Henri Marchal, a curator at Angkor, introduced the method of 'anastylosis' to restoring stone structures. It involved recording the sequence of stone in construction, then dismantling the stone, building new foundations and then replacing the structure piece by piece.
The 'Archaeological Survey of India (ASI)' used harsh chemicals to remove fungus and lichen from the carved stone walls.Space Radar is geographical mapping technique used. Photographs taken by the American Space Shuttle Endeavour, launched by NASA in 1994, have helped archaeologists look beyond the surface.
An example of 'anastylosis' at Angkor
Temples such as these is what the Greater Angkor project aims to reproduce and protect
Australia's Involvement
Australia has contributed to the conservation of the site through the Greater Angkor Project, based at Sydney University, being collaboration between Sydney University, French researchers, and Cambodian managers. The Australian 'element’ or main contribution consists of a multidisciplinary team. Planned work at the site of Angkor includes the use of the new aerial radar survey, GeoSAR, which permits penetration of the vegetation canopy. This produces images of features such as in-filled canals that have not been "re-discovered" earlier.
A link to The Greater Angkor Project's Website can be found here: http://sydney.edu.au/angkor/
Donations
By donating you are helping us preserve Angkor Watt so our future generations can experience the beauty of the great temples built by the Khmer people.
