Researchers used LIDAR or ground-penetrating radar and airborne light detection and ranging techniques to detect several structures that are yet to be excavated. An immense structure to the south of the complex measures 1500 by 600 meters, and researchers are still unclear as to its purpose.
One of team’s lead researchers, University of Sydney’s Professor Roland Fletcher, said the massive size of this structure was intriguing. Additionally, the team also found several towers that were pulled down as the main temple was being built. While more evidence is required before the team can make conclusions about why this happened, initial hypotheses revolve around the fact that these were subsidiary shrines, used during the construction of the main temples. The number of these towers and the existence of the southern structure seem to indicate that Angkor Wat might be larger than previously thought, and much more intricate.
A separate research team also uncovered a large bronze workshop adjacent to the ancient Royal Palace of Angkor. Archaeologists have been searching for decades, for the site where Angkor’s bronze statues, some as large as six meters, were cast. The significance of the site was first revealed during a dig in 2012. However, a comprehensive report was only published in February 2016, in the 100th edition of the Bulletin de l’École Française d’Extrême-Orient (BEFEO), a journal that reports on major archaeological finds of Angkor.
Angkor Wat was built in the 11th century by king Suryavarman II, and was dedicated to the Hindu god Vishnu. It is the largest temple complex in the world and one of the most popular tourist attractions in Asia. The Cambodian government’s Greater Angkor Project, which carries out research into Angkor Wat and Angkor Thom, was funding the current research study.
The Cambodian government is also working to promote Angkor and improve facilities for visitors. The temple complex, which attracts almost a quarter million tourists every month, is streamlining its ticketing process by making entry passes available online. Ticket prices are also set to rise. The cost of a single-day pass is $20 currently. Angkor brings in around $14 million in ticket receipts annually.
