Latest news with #ApsaraNationalAuthority
Euronews
13-03-2025
- General
- Euronews
Missing torso of Buddha statue found at Cambodia's Angkor temple complex
By Euronews with AP According to archaeologists, the head of the same statue was dug up in 1927 and is now in Cambodia's National museum in the capital Phnom Penh. The two parts may be reattached for display. ADVERTISEMENT Archaeologists in Cambodia are celebrating an unexpected find at the country's centuries-old Angkor temple complex: the torso of a statue of Buddha that matches a head found nearly a century ago at the same site. The torso, believed to be from the 12th or 13th century, stands at 1.16 meters tall and is in the Bayon art style, associated with Angkor's Bayon temple. It was found along with 29 fragments that appeared to be part of the same statue, archaeologist Neth Simon said this week. Headless statue excavated by archaeologists at the Angkor temple complex in Cambodia's Siem Reap province Apsara National Authority via AP 'It was a big surprise when we unearthed this sculpture because all we'd found so far were small pieces,' Neth Simon told AP. She described the statue's design as displaying carved jewelry and robe and sash, with a unique left-hand gesture across the chest — 'an uncommon representation in Khmer (Cambodian) art.' The head of the same statue was dug up in 1927 and is now in Cambodia's National museum in the capital Phnom Penh Apsara National Authority via AP The statue's presumed head was discovered at the same temple in 1927 during the French colonial era, and is currently kept at Cambodia's main National Museum in the capital Phnom Penh. Neth Simon said the torso was found about 50 meters away from the site where the head was discovered, and that an optical electronic scan confirmed they were a match. A near-complete reconstruction of the status is possible, Neth Simon added, now that only the right hand of the statue remains missing. Her team will ask the Minister of Culture and Fine Art for approval to reattach the head and body of the sculpture to make it whole for public display. The Angkor site sprawls across some 400 square kilometers, containing the ruins of capitals of various Cambodian empires from the 9th to the 15th centuries. Scholars consider it to be one of the most important archaeological sites in Southeast Asia. The site is Cambodia's most popular tourist attraction and in 2024 attracted about a million international tourists, according to Cambodia's Tourism Ministry.
South China Morning Post
05-02-2025
- South China Morning Post
YouTubers blamed for monkey attacks on tourists at Angkor temples
Published: 6:45pm, 5 Feb 2025 Wild monkeys egged on by YouTubers have been rampaging at Cambodia's famed Angkor temples complex, attacking tourists, wrecking temple stonework and damaging information boards, officials say. The agency that runs the Unesco-listed site warned visitors to steer clear of the growing gangs of 'aggressive' macaques that live around the sprawling complex of ruins and have been biting tourists. The macaques are native to the lush forests that surround the temple ruins in the Angkor Archaeological Park, but the Apsara National Authority said human interaction – particularly by people filming content to post online – had changed their behaviour. A small number of YouTubers regularly fed monkeys to create videos and this has 'changed the monkeys' natural behaviour from being wild animals to domestic ones that are aggressive, steal food, and cause injuries among people', it said. A YouTuber follows a mother and baby macaque with his iPhone near Bayon temple in the Angkor Archaeological Park. Authorities there are investigating the abuse of monkeys, and attacks by them on tourists. Photo: AP Some have reportedly even filmed themselves abusing macaques. Long Kosal, a spokesman for the Apsara National Authority, said that as well as the danger posed to tourists, the agency was increasingly worried about the monkeys damaging the centuries-old stonework.
Yahoo
05-02-2025
- Yahoo
YouTubers causing monkeys to attack tourists at Cambodia's Angkor Wat
Wild monkeys egged on by YouTubers have been rampaging at Cambodia's famed Angkor Wat complex, attacking tourists, wrecking temple stonework and damaging information boards, officials said Wednesday. The agency that runs the UNESCO-listed site warned visitors to steer clear of the growing gangs of "aggressive" macaques that live around the sprawling complex of ruins and have been biting tourists. The macaques are native to the lush forests that surround Angkor Wat, but Apsara National Authority said human interaction -- particularly by people filming content to post online -- had changed their behaviour. A small number of YouTubers regularly fed monkeys to create videos and this has "changed the monkeys' natural behaviour from being wild animals to domestic ones that are aggressive, steal foods, and cause injuries among people", it said in a statement. Some have reportedly even filmed themselves abusing macaques. Long Kosal, a spokesman for the Apsara National Authority, told AFP that as well as the danger posed to tourists, the agency was increasingly worried about the monkeys damaging the centuries-old stonework. "On top of biting visitors, they have been climbing up and pushing stones down, damaging temples," he said, adding that the macaques had also damaged information boards. The agency has urged tourists to leave the monkeys alone while visiting the ruins, and said it is looking for "an appropriate solution" to the problem. Angkor Wat, built from the 9th to the 15th centuries, was the capital of the Khmer Empire and is Cambodia's top tourist attraction, bringing in valuable revenue to a poor country. More than a million foreign tourists visited the park last year. Since it became a world heritage site in 1992, Angkor Wat and the surrounding jungle have benefited from increased legal and physical protections. There are hopes that wildlife sightings will also spark interest in local and foreign tourists and boost conservation education efforts. Last year, the agricultural ministry announced a plan to conduct a census of monkeys in public areas and to identify and relocate those posing a danger to humans. suy/pdw/dhw
