ANGKOR and I
51/194

45 In 1987, when those experts assisted in the conservation and restoration of the main shrine of Angkor Wat, they mistakenly believed the sandstone they dealt with was the same as that in India, and worked on removing the mold using chemicals to wash the walls with a brush. Since the sandstone in Cambodia is much softer than the one in India, crucial and beautiful reliefs were scraped off with a brush, and they were about to disappear. It will possibly take time, but we need to use time-honored techniques that do not damage the local stone. This I guess is linked to the fact that the conservation and restoration has to be done “by the Cambodians for the Cambodians.” The Training at the Banteay Kdei and the Excavated 274 Buddhist Statues As I stated earlier, the Royal University of Fine Arts (under the jurisdiction of the Ministry of Culture and Fine Arts) in Phnom Penh reopened in 1989, and the students returned. In 1991, specialized training adapted to these students commenced at the Angkor archaeological site. On-site training commenced as cited above at the Angkor Wat Western Causeway for the students of the Faculty of Architecture and at the Banteay Kdei temple for the students of the Faculty of Archaeology. This student training program reached its 53rd anniversary in 2017. The Banteay Kdei is a Buddhist temple built by Jayavarman VII (who reigned around 1181-1218), and who established Angkor Thom, the capital city during the peak of the Angkor dynasty. It is 700 meters east-west, and 500 meters north-south. A huge four-sided Buddhist image is carved on the pylon at the north, south, east and west entrances, but the roofs of the temple corridors are almost in a state of collapse. Here, not just training in archaeological excavation, but in collaboration with the building team we also have them acquire comprehensive knowledge concerning the preservation and restoration work on archaeological sites, including practical

元のページ  ../index.html#51

このブックを見る