SNAY VILLAGE, Cambodia, Jan. 21 - (Kyodo), Japanese archaeologists said Monday they have found an ancient water site in northwest Cambodia which dates back to the first century.
The archaeologists said they discovered sacred mounds of water or altars at the ruins in Snay village in Banteay Meanchey province under a two-year project which began in January last year.
"Before, it was said that Khmer civilization started from seventh to ninth century AD, but based on our research here, Khmer civilization went back to the first century AD," said Yoshinori Yasuda, a professor of the International Research Center for Japanese Studies.
"Khmer civilization established a very well-organized and harmonized water system. They constructed a perfect water circulation system until the Angkor Wat period," Yasuda said, adding that the Angkor Wat period also had a well-organized water system.
He said that through his findings, the discovered water site is the world's oldest, or some 600 years older than the Tikal ruins in Guatemala.
Yasuda said the project is supported by the Tokyo Foundation, a unit of the semi-public Nippon Foundation, and the Japanese Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology, in close cooperation with Cambodia.
With 10 Japanese archaeologists and experts and 50 Cambodian staff, the team excavated five sites last year, discovering 36 tombs, seven pits and 156 pottery pieces.
This year, another 12 tombs were discovered, according to Yoshito Miyatsuka, archaeologist and president of the Miyatsuka Institute of Archaeology in Sapporo, northern Japan. He conducted field site research.
The Japanese archaeologists appealed to the world to pay more attention to water.
"We are now in the 21st century facing a water crisis by which tropical rainforests are being destroyed and Tonle Sap Lake, the biggest lake in Cambodia, was polluted," Yasuda said.
"In order to keep water circulation and biodiversity, the lifestyle of eating rice and fish, preservation of nature is best," he said.
The ancient water site is located about 370 kilometers northwest of Phnom Penh, or about 70 km west of Siem Reap Province, hometown of Angkor Wat.
While stressing the significance of water, the archaeologists also sought the protection of Cambodian antiques, expressing concern over repeated looting of ancient antiques from ruin sites.
"These excavations are part of responses to the looting in Cambodia today. During the period of 2000 to 2003, an estimated 1,000 or so pottery pieces or precious stones or antiques were looted from around this site," said Yozo Akayama, a field archaeologist.
The archaeologists said they discovered sacred mounds of water or altars at the ruins in Snay village in Banteay Meanchey province under a two-year project which began in January last year.
"Before, it was said that Khmer civilization started from seventh to ninth century AD, but based on our research here, Khmer civilization went back to the first century AD," said Yoshinori Yasuda, a professor of the International Research Center for Japanese Studies.
"Khmer civilization established a very well-organized and harmonized water system. They constructed a perfect water circulation system until the Angkor Wat period," Yasuda said, adding that the Angkor Wat period also had a well-organized water system.
He said that through his findings, the discovered water site is the world's oldest, or some 600 years older than the Tikal ruins in Guatemala.
Yasuda said the project is supported by the Tokyo Foundation, a unit of the semi-public Nippon Foundation, and the Japanese Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology, in close cooperation with Cambodia.
With 10 Japanese archaeologists and experts and 50 Cambodian staff, the team excavated five sites last year, discovering 36 tombs, seven pits and 156 pottery pieces.
This year, another 12 tombs were discovered, according to Yoshito Miyatsuka, archaeologist and president of the Miyatsuka Institute of Archaeology in Sapporo, northern Japan. He conducted field site research.
The Japanese archaeologists appealed to the world to pay more attention to water.
"We are now in the 21st century facing a water crisis by which tropical rainforests are being destroyed and Tonle Sap Lake, the biggest lake in Cambodia, was polluted," Yasuda said.
"In order to keep water circulation and biodiversity, the lifestyle of eating rice and fish, preservation of nature is best," he said.
The ancient water site is located about 370 kilometers northwest of Phnom Penh, or about 70 km west of Siem Reap Province, hometown of Angkor Wat.
While stressing the significance of water, the archaeologists also sought the protection of Cambodian antiques, expressing concern over repeated looting of ancient antiques from ruin sites.
"These excavations are part of responses to the looting in Cambodia today. During the period of 2000 to 2003, an estimated 1,000 or so pottery pieces or precious stones or antiques were looted from around this site," said Yozo Akayama, a field archaeologist.
16 comments:
Wish to be born again KK as in "Khmer".
Those women skeletons were related to Sihanouk forefathers.
He was born from a Monkey.... Stupid Monkey,,,
The women skeletons Cannot be related to Xihanouk. Xihanouk was just an Amoeba.
Thank you Nippon Foundation for unearth the Truth about Khmer Culture. We need Nippon to boot out ah Youns/Hanoi.
It is sad to compare our ancestors to Sihanouk. Our ancestors have more value, more class than this BoZo Sihanouk.
Hun Xen thoughts those were his Uncle HO Chi Minh bons...
7:17AM... Don't compare Sihanouk to a monkey. It is too insulting for the monkeys.....Even if we compare him to a shit, shit is better value ......
Hey guys, I saw a documentary on Japanese' Monkeys they are smarter then Xihanois for sure..
it is sad to see Khmer children growing up to learn to hate their own people, their own king.
But then again, this is the brainwash of everyone who deny their parts in the Khmer Rough so they insinuate as much possible to make Sihanouk and left them out of the light.
Thinking about it, sad king, so many people have their hands on it, the China, The Vietnam, the Soviet and The U.S, no wonder Sihanouk is so much hated, there is insinuation to be coming around from all sides towards him.
Sihanouk deserve his respect and honor as King, he doesn't deserve your curses. As Khmer he did what he thought was best considering Cambodia is surrounded immmediately by 3 communist powers and the American democracy was thousands of mile to be reach and were fighting on losing ground.
it is a shame to talk without relection, and even worst to keep on perpetuating the outsider's propaganda to demonize our own people.
Your above comments are out of context. Be reasonable!
Dear all Khmer,
I know you have so deep love of Khmer culture, and you don't like this ancient culture and artifact looted.
I have my undergraduate degree in Archaeology from Phnom Penh, and I learn that there is so little care from the Ministry of Culture and Fine Arts over protection of Khmer Culture, even temples. I feel so ashamed for the Ministry's leaders and officials over there, they are so corrupted, and so self-concern for power and position and personal benefit.
I would like you to suggest something that we can do to stop the looting, and to make ppl in this ministry to work to protect Khmer culture/ancient sites/monuments. If you have any idea, do share among group, and I will help coordinate ways how to help. Your idea will turn to be working, if you put it to work with your care and self concern for our people and culture.
All the best wishes,
A Khmer student.
First 10:22AM, you need one in power to care! what can we powerless people can do? know the poerfull people (CPP) try to pass the law that they could sell the land to foreigner soon don't care much what we have left is the palace and all Khmere are land less and be slaved!
Fuck ah Hun Xen and CPP and we will have full protection of every thing in Khmer!
I am agree with 10:29PM
09:49: How to respect a king who spent time killing his opponent, singing dancing, making movie, fucking a lot of women, even his aunt, a king that never been married officially...and the worst who learn nothing from the past and still do tha same things nowadays?!!!!! No respect for fake king.... true king yes... impostor and profitmen no...
I respect the king for his achievement for the country in his time but not everything else. He needs to learn to shut up. It's time for peace, not revenge.
In respect to 10:22, you are a leader. You turn ideas into power. Your food of thought will enable Khmer to survive a thousand more year if we all can mobilize our thoughts and put it into good use.
Since you are a student it is hard to get your voice heard. I suggest you get involve with some foreign organization or NGOs that involving with researching Khmer civilization and restoring artifacts, and get them to train those MOC and fine arts officials about the importance of maintaining Khmer antiques. Only they understand its values, then they can learn to of its importance. It's easy to get the intellectual to understand but it can years to get the message through for the less bright; in this case Cambodian government officials.
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