Phnom Penh (FN), Apr. 30 – A restoration team from the Department of Conservation of Monuments and Preventive Archaeology​​ of the APSARA National Authority found more than 100 pieces of sandstone Buddha statues in the grounds while excavating at Ta Prohm Temple recently.

"The pieces include the statues of Buddha Sheltered by a Naga, the statues of Avalokiteśvara, and the other fragments of the statues," according to the APSARA National Authority's statement seen by Fresh News on Tuesday (Apr. 30).

"Archaeologist Neth Simon said that initially, the team went to clean up the pile of soil on the south side of the laterite wall of the third enclosure of Ta Prohm Temple to prepare a list of scattered stone fragments, and the image for the overall layout of the temple in order because there are a lot of stones scattered there. During the clean-up, the team also found several statue fragments there.

Simon added that because the team found fragments buried in the ground 10 to 15 cm deep, they decided to ask for advice from the upper level to dig a pit to search for more underground. When digging a little deeper, more and more statue fragments were found, totaling more than 100 pieces.

Until now the team is not sure if there are more statues in the deeper grounds. Currently, the team is taking many pieces of statues that were found to number and measure the size temporarily.

Archaeologists have speculated that the fragments were found in the Bayon style. Some of the fragments were about half a meter high and 40 to 50 centimeters in width."
=FRESH NEWS