SDEHS | Preliminary | Ancient History

Teacher: Mrs Mangos |Student: Iszebille Steenbeeke

Outline what Archaeological methods reveal about Angkor Wat's former society

Excavations, enquiries, ground surveys, aerial surveys, and satellite imagery have revealed that Angkor
Wat's society was particularly skilled with water and retainment of water from seasonal monsoons for the
drought periods of winter, supply to crops, and water supply for the people, contained within barays (man-
made water reservoirs). It's engineers were obsessive with their systems and yet when problems arose they
would not change their plans, they would simply move them and change scales, as observed by
archaeologists.

The society has been understood as a war respecting country as hundreds of bas-reliefs portray war-like
images, of victories, the travelling of opposing forces, and the success of the Khmer against their enemies.
Angkor Wat seems to have been a religious society, its architectural structures are perhaps inspired by the
Hindu culture such as the royal and religious buildings built on mounds with shallow moats as the God's of
Hindu belief live on a mountain surrounded by seas. The Little Ice Age of the 14th Century greatly affected
Angkor Wat's continuous production and cognitive function, the hectic and occasionally non-existent
monsoons changed and damaged crops and the environment around the people. El Nino had a dramatic
effect on the decline of the Angkor society.

Angkor's society relied on a complex and vast system of waterways and reservoirs, addressed in their
architecture and mass planning, even though it is difficult to see when walking across the site, the aerial
evidence rings clear: Angkor was a city of hydro engineering feats.

Discuss the main issues facing the site today (pay attention to the conservation issues)

The continuous effect of the changing environment and weather patterns extends damage to the site of
Angkor Wat in prolonged environmental and structural damages, which could lead to the breakdown of the
integrity of the site. Alongside the structure of the site's foundations, theft, warfare, and tourism, these
environmental changes put pressure on the site of Angkor Wat and has lead to many difficulties in the site's
conservation.

As climate change worsens, rain and droughts toll the site of Angkor Wat considerably as the sandy soils
stiffen with wet summers and yet become swallowing horrors with dry winters, the soils unstable to build
on in the first place become questionable with the change in climate conditions. The weather also controls
what vegetation is able to be supported by the area and in change of climates species die out and other
species thrive, some of these horribly damaging to the structures of Angkor Wat with their roots, branches,
seeds, and vegetation all digging into the stone work of the buildings that remain and causing mass
damage. The weather gaining power in its forces such as rain and the sound wave effects of thunder storms
also cause damage to the site as bat droppings turn to minor acids with water and the rain itself makes
bodies of water get into and between the stones causing weathering and erosion issues. The dampness of
the weathered cracks between the stone work provide the perfect habitat for acidic lichen and moss
growth that further deteriorate the rock.
Theft causes loss of important artefacts and sculptures that could be potentially vital in the investigation
into Angkor Wat's history and demise, this permanent loss of information from looting (as the artefacts
cannot be identified and returned) causes many problems due to this potential. Despite the theft being
looked down on my the Cambodian people as an insult to their heritage, it does not discourage the illegal
acquisition and sale of Angkor artefacts. Since it's re-discovery in the mid-to-late 19th century, Angkor's
storeroom has gone from housing over 4000 items to approximately 2400 items, a loss of culture and
history; it has been proven extremely difficult to protect and guard the 200 square kilometre site.

Warfare of the 1970s meant that the jungle was able to destroy archaeologists' work in reclaiming the site
as well as the effect the actual war had as before the civil war there were many people involved in the
Angkor administration. Hundreds of vehicles, laboratories, and power stations were taken by the war, the
people killed and the buildings and vehicles destroyed. The war also lead to minor damages to the site as
bullet holes can be found in monuments, perhaps leading to further weathering and erosion of the
structures.

Tourism has increased drastically over time, putting great pressure on the integrity of the site; lack of
supervision over the large area of the ancient city prevents tourists from being hauled up on improper
amateur investigation of the site walking on and over crumbling walls and structures, adding to the
degradation of the site. The construction of hotels in local areas shows that tourism is not expected to
reduce any time soon and the inadequately paid 'heritage police' for the Angkor Archaeological Park
consisting of only 300 people, making Angkor Wat vulnerable to potential looters and thieves.

Angkor Wat is under severe pressure from the environment and landscape, theft, warfare, and tourism as
they all contribute to the crumbling infrastructure of the 200 square kilometre site and it's buildings.
Angkor is a protected site but has been proven difficult to protect due to its size and the nature of the
people towards important history. An understanding of Angkor's society is slowly being reconstructed but
the undertaking requires time and a site that remains intact for continuous referencing and yet this is
difficult to maintain as the site is even more damaged with every passing year.