PHNOM PENH, Cambodia (AP) — Cambodian archaeologists have unearthed a dozen centuries-old sandstone statues in a “remarkable discovery” in Angkor World Heritage Site near the city of Siem Reap, authorities announced on Wednesday.

The statues – depicting “gate guardians” – were discovered last week near the northern gate leading to the 11th-century royal palace in Angkor Thom, the last capital of the Khmer empire, said Long Kosal, a spokesman. of the Apsara National Authority. , the government agency that oversees the archaeological park.

Teams were assessing the structure of the ancient gate and searching for fallen stones around the portal on the north side of Angkor Thom, one of the four entrances to the complex, when the discovery was made.

The statues depict guardians standing at attention and range in size from about 1 meter to 110 centimeters, or about 39 to 43 inches. They have been found buried at depths of up to 1.4 meters (4.5 feet) and some are in surprisingly good condition, each displaying unique facial hair ornaments, adding to their distinctive character, the archaeologist said Sorn Chanthorn.

“Experts believe that these gate guardian statues exemplify the Khneang style, corresponding to the palace construction period of the 11th century.” said the Apsara National Authority.

Angkor Thom is part of the Angkor Archaeological Park, a complex spanning some 400 square kilometers (155 square miles), declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1992 and one of the most popular tourist destinations in Southeast Asia.

It contains the ruins of the capitals of the Khmer Empire from the 9th to the 15th centuries, including the temple of Angkor Wat.

The site, nearby Siem Reap, about 320 kilometers northwest of the capitalPhnom Penh attracted more than 500,000 international visitors in the first half of 2024, according to the Cambodian Ministry of Tourism.

The archaeological dig was a collaborative project between Apsara and the Chinese-Cambodian government team for safeguarding Angkor, Apsara said.

Following the discovery of the statues, the archaeological team carefully documented their position before removing them for cleaning and restoration. They will eventually be returned to their original location, authorities said.

Many Khmer cultural treasures were looted during the long period of civil war and instability, when Cambodia was ruled by the brutal communist regime. Khmer Rouge regime in the 1970s.

Cambodia has benefited from a trend that in recent decades has seen the repatriation of confiscated artistic and archaeological treasures to their countries of origin. In In August, we celebrated the return of dozens of objects from museums and private collections abroad.

He also has to be criticized for the clean-up efforts at the Angkor site, which required the displacement of thousands of families, which Amnesty International condemned as a “flagrant violation of international human rights law”.

At its July meeting, the UN World Heritage Committee recommended that Cambodia invite a new team of experts to monitor the situation.