Phnom Penh Aug 1 (IANS) Archaeologists have unearthed a large ancient statue during excavations in the Angkor complex in Cambodia s Siem Reap province an official said on Tuesday.
Long Kosal Deputy Director of the Communications Department of the Apsara Authority that manages the park said the 1.9-meter tall 58-cm wide statue was found on Saturday by a group of researchers from the Apsara Authority and Singapore s Institute of Southeast Asian Studies.
"The statue is thought to be from the late 12th or early 13th century " the official told Xinhua news agency.
He said the research group discovered the statue while excavating an Angkor-era hospital built during the reign of King Jayavarman VII.
The statue with its arms and legs broken off is believed to be a guardian of the ancient hospital s entrance he said. The statue was buried about 40 cm under the ground.
The 401 sq km Angkor archaeological park inscribed on the Unesco s World Heritage List in 1992 is the kingdom s most popular tourist destination.
--IANS
py/mr
