Archaeologists just solved a century-old mystery at Cambodia’s Angkor Temple Complex. They unearthed the long-lost torso of a Buddha statue from the Khmer Empire, the medieval Hindu-Buddhist civilization that once exerted influence over much of mainland Southeast Asia. The same statue’s head was excavated nearby—nearly 100 years earlier.
Buddha Statue’s Head Was Found at Same Angkor Temple in 1927
Standing a bit over five feet tall, the Buddha torso is believed to be from the 12th or 13th century. It was created in the Bayon art style, which is associated with Angkor‘s lavishly decorated Bayon Temple. It was found alongside 29 additional fragments that seemingly belonged to the same statue. The presumed head of the Buddha statue—which is currently kept at the National Museum in Phnom Penh—was discovered at the same temple in 1927, during Cambodia’s French colonial period. The Buddha’s torso was unearthed about 150 feet away from the site of the head’s discovery. An optical electronic scan confirmed the head and torso are a match.
According to lead archaeologist Neth Simon, a near-complete reconstruction of the Buddha statue is now possible. Only its right hand is still missing. She also acknowledged that her team is awaiting approval from Cambodia’s Minister of Culture and Fine Art to reassemble the sculpture and put it on public display. If that happens, Simon told the Associated Press, “As an archaeologist, I would be really happy.”
What Is the Angkor Wat Temple Complex?
Spanning nearly 250 square miles, the Angkor Archaeological Park is a UNESCO World Heritage Site near Siem Reap, Cambodia. It comprises remains of the Khmer Empire’s various capitals from the 9th to 15th centuries—including the Hindu-Buddhist temple complex Angkor Wat, which was built during the reign of King Suryavarman II in the 12th century. The famed temple exemplifies Khmer architecture, which is characterized by sandstone blocks, pointed arches, lotus-bud-shaped towers, and intricate bas-reliefs.
Khmer temples were typically enclosed by a concentric series of walls with a sanctuary in the middle. This layout was meant to echo nearby Mount Meru, a sacred five-peaked mountain in Hindu and Buddhist cosmologies. Angkor Wat was originally dedicated to the Hindu god Vishnu but was soon after repurposed into a Buddhist temple. Today, Angkor Wat and the surrounding archaeological park are one of the most important and popular historical sites in Southeast Asia. According to Cambodia’s Ministry of Tourism, it attracted about one million international tourists in 2024.
