CAMBODIA: Archaeologist Discovers Gold-Like Metal in Ancient Khmer Ore

Posted by Asia Views | Sep 29, 2026 | 0 |

KhmerTimes-Sept 29, 2026

Archaeologist Thuy Chanthourn has reported discovering more than three kilograms of gold-colored metal after smelting a 14.66-kilogramme sample of ancient iron ore. The metal is being prepared for laboratory analysis to determine its composition. In an interview with Khmer Times last weekend, he said the experiment was a personal research initiative aimed at understanding the composition of ore samples recovered from ancient iron-mining sites and identifying Khmer smelting techniques. Chanthourn began researching the ancient Khmer iron industry in 2010 and has identified more than 700 mining sites across the country. His work contributed to the establishment of the Royal Academy of Cambodia’s Techo Sen Russey Treb Park in Preah Vihear province. For this experiment, he selected a northern Cambodian ore sample weighing approximately 14.66 kilograms, broke it into smaller pieces and smelted it in a furnace reaching 1,200 degrees Celsius. After eight hours of heating and gas supply, he poured the molten material into a mold. When cooled and broken open, it revealed a reddish-yellow metal resembling gold and weighing more than three kilograms. A preliminary acid test suggested the presence of metallic elements, but Chanthourn stressed that visual inspection and basic testing cannot confirm pure gold. He is contacting the Royal University of Phnom Penh for scientific analysis. The original sample separated into several materials, with the gold-like portion weighing more than three kilograms and the remainder consisting of iron-based metals and other substances. Chanthourn emphasised that the findings are preliminary and require further analysis.

The experiment, he said, deepened his appreciation for the technical capabilities of the ancient Khmer in mineral and metal processing. His research indicates that Khmer communities utilized iron before the Angkorian era, with production techniques dating to around AD 760. “Khmer people of that time possessed truly advanced techniques. Yet, even in modern times, we have not been able to match the capabilities of our ancestors,” he said. Chanthourn explained that ancient Khmer iron was used for construction, stone cutting, canal excavation and major projects. Read more at:

https://www.khmertimeskh.com/502032096/archaeologist-discovers-gold-like-metal-in-ancient-khmer-ore/

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EXTRICATING NDONESIAN CHILDREN FROM ISIS INFLUENCE ABROAD

Indonesia urgently needs to revisit the possibility of repatriating the neediest of its young citizens stranded abroad, whose families had earlier joined ISIS. Most of these children are in camps in northern Syria but there are also small numbers in the Philippines, Afghanistan and Iraq. “Extricating Indonesian Children from ISIS Influence Abroad”, the latest report from the Institute for Policy Analysis of Conflict (IPAC) argues that the government could begin by bringing back small groups of unaccompanied children under ten years of age, who pose minimal security risk and are most vulnerable to deteriorating conditions in the camps.“The problem is that health and security conditions are worsening by the day in the Syrian camps, and the children are growing older,” says Dyah Kartika, IPAC analyst. “They need access to schools, a nurturing environment, and medical attention. If the government waits too long, the children will be further exposed to ISIS ideology.” The new report examines a 2019 list of Indonesians in camps and prisons run by the Kurdish Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF). The Indonesian government has been trying to verify their citizenship, but with pseudonyms, misspellings and bad transliterations, it is a daunting task. At the time the data was collected, between March and June 2019, there were 555 Indonesians in SDF camps and prisons, including 367 children. Among the children, approximately 277 were under the age of ten and 34 were unaccompanied. In June 2021, there are fewer than ten children who are both unaccompanied and under the age of ten that could be prioritized for return. Bringing back children of ISIS families is no easy task. The report analyses the main challenges faced by the Indonesian government. These include definitional issues, bureaucratic competition, the difficulty of verifying nationality, evaluating the toll of exposure to conflict, assessing security risk, and finding relatives or others willing to provide care once the children are returned. In addition, COVID has meant stringent restrictions on travel, placing further obstacles in the way of repatriation. There are several models for rehabilitation of children exposed to violent extremism in Indonesia that could be modified to accommodate the needs of children repatriated from abroad. The report examines these models and argues that the government does not need to have every detail of rehabilitation programs in place before it starts extricating children from ISIS influence. It can start by bringing back the most vulnerable children and then modify programs as needed.

“It’s important that the government see these children as victims” says Dyah. “They deserve a chance to be children again.”

CAMBODIA: Archaeologist Discovers Gold-Like Metal in Ancient Khmer Ore

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