(Phnom Penh): Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Manet celebrated the successful restoration of a massive Shiva statue, recognised as one of the largest of its kind in Southeast Asia.

“The ancient statue, originally from the Koh Ker archaeological site, stands 5 metres tall and weighs around 7 tonnes. It had collapsed centuries ago, shattering into more than 10,000 fragments. After years of work, restoration teams have now fully reassembled the statue”, Samdech Thipadei wrote on his social media on Friday (Mar. 20).

According to the prime minister, the restoration project spanned over five years, from 2020 to 2026, through a collaboration between the Preah Vihear National Authority and the École française d’Extrême-Orient (EFEO), with additional support from heritage preservation partners.

This ancient statue stands 5 metres tall, features five faces and ten arms, and weighs around seven tonnes. It collapsed in the 14th century, shattering into more than 10,000 fragments, with some pieces later looted during the civil war.
=FRESH NEWS