Multiple 11th Century Door Guardian Statues Unearthed at Angkor Thom [Video]

Archaeologists digging at one of the world’s most visited complexes of ancient ruins and structures recently made what they termed as a “remarkable discovery.” While performing exploratory excavations at the Angkor Archaeological Park near Siem Reap, Cambodia, home of the famous temple of Angkor Wat, the archaeologists unearthed a dozen sandstone statues known as “door guardians” that are believed to be approximately 1,000 years old.

The Angkor statues were discovered by a team of archaeologists from the Aspara National Authority (ANA), working in collaboration with researchers from the Chinese Government Team for Safeguarding Angkor (CSA). They were found just a few days ago buried near the north gate leading into the 11th century Royal Palace at Angkor Thom, which was the last capital of the Khmer Empire.

These statues were made to sit alongside doors or gateways leading into important buildings, which is why archaeologists refer to them as “door guardians.”

• Angkor Wat …