KhmerTimes-March 11, 2025
The second phase of excavations at Ta Prohm Temple yesterday uncovered a Buddha statue without its head. However, the statue head had been uncovered in 1927 and is being kept at the Angkor Conservation. Recent excavations at Ta Prohm have revealed significant archaeological finds, including a partially reconstructed Buddha statue, according to the Apsara National Authority (ANA).
Conducted by the ANA in collaboration with the Archaeological Survey of India (ASI), the second phase of excavations began in February, focusing on an area outside the laterite enclosure northeast of the temple’s third gallery. The newly discovered Buddha statue, represented in the Bayon style, was missing its head, feet, and right hand. This statue stands 1.16 meters tall and has a shoulder width of 56 centimeters. Notably, it is adorned with jewelry and features a robe and veil, with a unique left hand gesture placed on the chest—an uncommon representation in Khmer art. ANA archaeologist Neth Simon said that the body of the Buddha statue was registered as N°294. During the excavation, the team identified that this body matched previously excavated pieces: the left hand registered as N°292 and the foot registered as N°168, both found during the first phase of excavations in July 2024. Additionally, the head of the Buddha statue, which was discovered in 1927 and is currently housed at the Angkor Conservation under registration number DCA.6883-N139, was scanned and compared with the newly found body. This comparison allowed for a near-complete reassembly of the statue, with only the right hand still missing. Read more at: https://www.khmertimeskh.com/501651812/buddha-statue-body-found-after-head-was-uncovered-in-1927/
