Phnom Penh (Cambodia), September 30 - ANI: The legs of a 12th century sandstone carving of the Buddhist deity Hevajra, which were missing, have been recovered from a historic site in Siem Reap province in Cambodia.
The bust of the statue is on display in New Yorks Metropolitan Museum of Art.
According to a report in the Phnom Penh Post, the missing piece of the ancient sculpture was spotted by a British archaeologist this summer.
He had been trying to find the spot where French archaeologists first discovered the sculptures remains in 1925 near Angkor Thom, the walled city of King Jayavarman VII (1125-1215).
Instead, to his amazement, he found the statues legs just lying there on the jungle floor.
Dr Peter Sharrock, a senior teaching fellow in the art and archaeology of Southeast Asia department at the School of Oriental and African Studies (SOAS) in London, said the French archaeologists must have removed the bust, but left the legs, unaware of the artefacts significance.
This is a unique statue which I estimate to have been of exceptional importance in the time of King Jayavarman VII, he said.
Researchers hope further excavation could reveal other missing fragments.
The discovery may produce further parts of the Hevajra, but it may also give us some clues as to why and when it was apparently broken and buried with other important Buddhist icons at this place in the forest, Sharrock said.
The legs are now in the care of the Sihanouk Angkor Museum in Siem Reap, but experts hope they will be reunited with the bust in New York.
According to Hab Touch, director of the National Museum of Cambodia, We want to put the pieces together. Not one piece there and one over here. We (US and Cambodian officials) will sort it out together.
Only when the statue has been fully restored will people be able to fully grasp its significance, Sharrock said.
The bust of the statue is on display in New Yorks Metropolitan Museum of Art.
According to a report in the Phnom Penh Post, the missing piece of the ancient sculpture was spotted by a British archaeologist this summer.
He had been trying to find the spot where French archaeologists first discovered the sculptures remains in 1925 near Angkor Thom, the walled city of King Jayavarman VII (1125-1215).
Instead, to his amazement, he found the statues legs just lying there on the jungle floor.
Dr Peter Sharrock, a senior teaching fellow in the art and archaeology of Southeast Asia department at the School of Oriental and African Studies (SOAS) in London, said the French archaeologists must have removed the bust, but left the legs, unaware of the artefacts significance.
This is a unique statue which I estimate to have been of exceptional importance in the time of King Jayavarman VII, he said.
Researchers hope further excavation could reveal other missing fragments.
The discovery may produce further parts of the Hevajra, but it may also give us some clues as to why and when it was apparently broken and buried with other important Buddhist icons at this place in the forest, Sharrock said.
The legs are now in the care of the Sihanouk Angkor Museum in Siem Reap, but experts hope they will be reunited with the bust in New York.
According to Hab Touch, director of the National Museum of Cambodia, We want to put the pieces together. Not one piece there and one over here. We (US and Cambodian officials) will sort it out together.
Only when the statue has been fully restored will people be able to fully grasp its significance, Sharrock said.
18 comments:
We are khmers ,we love Buddha as our Grand-Maître Suprême.
"Let us rise up and be thankful, for if we didn't learn a lot today, at least we learned a little, and if we didn't learn a little, at least we didn't get sick, and if we got sick, at least we didn't die; so, let us all be thankful."
May Budda help ECCC to discover the truth. Buddha also was victim of Communist Sihanouk,Vietcong,Mao.
Putho Puthaing Aknichaing Aknata!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=onDjy--ne0o&feature=channel_page
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DIrUHVFkm9A&feature=related
The world wil not be at peace until all of the khmer objects been found or return home from all over the world and relate to other objects that belong to someone else that need to be returned as well. Therefore, if any one has what is to believe that belongs Khmer's please return, please call Khmer museum and let them know. Thank you
Not much study has been done done on Khmer Buddhism from Ancient time to the fall of Longwek City.
Koun Khmer know so little of their religion and its development.
Khmer Republican
This article should not states "The lost legs of 12th century Buddhist sculpture discovered in Cambodia". Instead it should be the "Lost of the Buddha statue was found in New Yorks Metropolitan Museum of Art". Because it is the foreigner who stold the statue which was why it was lost and the legs was where it suppose to be; therefore, it was never lost.
Ah Yuon nor ah Siem attempted to steal it, so they decided to dragged it somehow one of left leg broke off. We need to protected our sovereignty nowsadays.
Khmer562
3:47PM,
Buddha cannot help you find anything. He left behind his moral guidance for you to study and study real hard before you can perceive truth. Some truth has no visible/physical evidence, yet it exists.
...and it's not Putto Puthaing Anichaing Anatta, but it is: Roopaing, Tukhaing, Anichaing, Anatta.
Why we got lots of mins in Cambodia country,because we have too many oppositions party to war growing up.
Tell the Obama administration to pay Hun Sen some dollars for not to return the bust. If it is possible give the corrupted government some more money to ship the leg to New York.
8:54PM,
too may opposition parties is not the case leading to war. It's corruption of the governing body which leads to economic chaos that cuases the unrest in society. As corruption committed by the governing body keeps growing up, the national economy got flattened, then chaotic situation happens because classes between the rich and the poor is so far apart that can make the majority poor feel being maltreated . . .that can lead to war too. I'm not sure. I just express my opinions.
We Khmer are like this relic. We are now scattered all over the world..physically and mentally. Only when we are united then Cambodia can be wholy again.
It's NOT up to Khmer people whether they can unite or not. It's actually up to the leaders of the government itself. I find it's really hard for the freedom-loving Khmers to work together with the absolutism-loving ones, especially people like Hun Sen and all his comrades whose brain sockets have been fully loaded with communism. These extremists hate freedom, social justice, and democracy.
8:54! go back to school, fool!
Watch out!!
The Thai will claim that statue leg.
The Cambodian nation will NEVER be at peace if ah Hun Insane, ah Hor Namhong, CPP still alive. Burn them all...go to hell!
Ah Hok Lady family will claim that part as ah Hok Landy leg too! Thank to lightning!
Dear Sir,
Please correct the mistake "Buddhist Deity Deva Raja".
Our government must request for the return of this artefact from the Obama Administration through a diplomatic channel of the two countries which are now in a high level of relationship.
So this Deva Raja will bless Cambodia and her people for a prosperous and highly developed country being able to balance with Thailand and Vietnam.
Thank you for your kind attention.
Ly
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