PHNOM PENH, March 29 (Xinhua) -- Cambodian archaeologists have begun to restore a larger-than-life sandstone statue in front of the southern library of Phnom Bakheng temple in the famed Angkor Archaeological Park, said the APSARA National Authority (ANA) in a news release on Friday.

Soy Sophearin, a stone conservation expert, said the centuries-old statue was severely damaged, such as in the head, arms, and right leg, making it impossible for experts to identify the statue.

"As for the time and cause of the statue's collapse, we do not know for sure. However, based on the remaining cement traces, we know that this statue was once restored by the French School of the Far East (EFEO) in the past," he said.

Sophearin said that currently, the ANA experts are restoring many parts of the statue, including checking the pedestal, and repairing the cracked foot on the right side with the use of stainless steel to reconnect.

"To restore this ancient sandstone statue, the experts also have to carve new stones to replace the missing ones," he said.

Built in the late ninth century during the reign of King Yasovarman I, Phnom Bakheng temple is one of the key temples in the 401-square-km Angkor Archaeological Park in northwest Cambodia's Siem Reap province.

The Angkor Archaeological Park, which was inscribed on the World Heritage List of the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) in 1992, is the most popular tourist destination in the Southeast Asian country.

The ancient park attracted almost 800,000 international visitors in 2023, earning a gross revenue of more than 37 million U.S. dollars from ticket sales, according to the state-owned Angkor Enterprise. Enditem

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