U.S. funds for Angkor restoration

Art in America, March, 2005

The World Monuments Fund (WMF) recently announced that it has received a $550,000 grant from the U.S. Department of State for the conservation of Phnom Bakheng, the ancient temple on a low hill that overlooks Angkor Wat in northwest Cambodia. The gift represents the first time that the U.S. government has directly participated in the preservation of Angkor and its fabled buildings and statues created during the Khmer period (802-1462). In announcing the grant, U.S. ambassador to Cambodia Charles Ray told the press that "conserving the monuments, which are a crucial part of Cambodian history, is one way to promote peace and prosperity in the country."

Phnom Bakheng is one of the Angkor region's oldest and least studied temple complexes, built 889-900. The main ruin stretches over an area more than 2,000 feet by 1,400 feet. Stepped terraces lead to an elevated shrine. The terraces are punctuated by numerous highly stylized carved figures in what is known as the Bakheng style.

The WMF funds will be used for a three- to five-year program that entails research into the structural stability of the site. A team of approximately 14 specialists in architectural conservation will submit assessments and plans.