ANGKOR and I
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98 Dome 1.5 times, an amount enough to pack around 700 trucks weighing 10 tons each. These large amounts of removed earth and sand were used as embankments for the moats and temple foundation. From the Baphuon construction (erected around 1060), where the EFEO has been in charge of restoration work since 1942, we have acquired data related to the building technology employed at the time of its erection. One item is the report that clean river sand was spread out at the site foundation. At the Banteay Kdei site foundation as well (12th century end), which is used as a place for training in archaeological excavation, we have confirmed the fact that the same type of clean river sand was spread over a thickness of 1.5 meters. In Angkor Wat, it is believed the earth was dug in the central main building’s foundation, and on laying every ten centimeters of river sand it was tamped down with the addition of water. The earth was then repeatedly rammed and “sand work” (ground upgrading work effected by compacting the sand and water binding) was done, of a few meters thickness. It was not just river sand. A technique they used was where around 20 meters of rubble (pebbles made by breaking rocks for use in foundation work and so on) was packed in at strategic points, and thereby measures were taken to further enhance the strength. On conducting a survey of the Banteay Kdei temple, we realized that this rubble differed from the gray sandstone employed for building materials. It was yellowish brown sandstone, and the reliefs (of the outer south side) of Bayon (from the end of the 12th to the start of the 13th century), depict the process of this building work, that is to say, “people tamping the earth down with sticks (ramming the earth),” are presented. One may say a reason for having used sand for the rammed-earth construction was the fact that good quality river sand was supplied from the Siem Reap River. As a base this river sand provided a stable and uniform firmness, and at the same time owing to its good water permeability, it had the material property of being able to

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