foreword -...

"

FOREWORD

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International Co-ordinating for the Safeguarding and 6evelopm~ht qfthe Histo'r12 Site 'of Angkor 1997 Annual Report ofActivitie's ' " '

2

A ll documents, reports, and project outlines mentioned in the 1997 Report of Activities herewith were distributed to the participants at the various meetings of the International Co-ordinating Committee for the Safeguarding and Development of the Historic Site of Angkor and its Technical Committee. They are available and can be consulted at the secretariat of the International Co-ordinating Committee:

Ul\TESCO Office

P.O. Box 29 38 Samdech Sothearos Blvd. Phnom Penh Cambodia

if (855) (23) 426.299 / 726 Fax (855) (23) 426.163 / 945

Standing Secretariat

Mr. Azedine Beschaouch Special Representative of the Director-General of UNESCO for Angkor

Phnom Penh

Mr. Sebastien Cavalier Standing Secretary of the International Co-ordinating Committee in Phnom Penh

'if 012.802.132 E-mail [email protected]

Front page: photographs by Jaroslav Poncar

International Co-ordinating for the Safeguarding and Development of the Historic Site of Angkor 1997 Annual Report of Activities

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TABLE OF CONTENTS


4

INTRODUCTION

Excerpt from the Report of the Sh.1eenth Session of the World Heritage Committee Santa Fe, USA (7 to 14 December 1992) 9

Excerpt from the Report of the Twentieth Session of the World Heritage Committee Merida, Mexico (2-7 December 1996) 11

Tokyo Declaration, 13 October 1993 13

CHAPTER 1 - ESTABLISHMENT OF THE INSTITUTIONAL MANAGEMENT FRAMEWORK

1. INTERNATIONAL INSTITUTIONAL MANAGEMENT FRAMEWORK 17

1.1. MEETINGS OF THE lNTERNATIONAL CO-oRDINATING COMMITTEE ..........•............ 17 1.2. CREATION OF THE AD HOC GROUP OF EXPERTS 18 1.3. PROJECT FOR THE CREATION OF A PROJECT MANAGEMENT AND MONITORING

DATABASE 19

2. NATIONAL INSTITUTIONAL M~~AGEMENT FRAMEWORK ••••.• 04•••••••••••• 20

2.1. LEGAL AND STATUTORY MEASURES ADOPTED 20 2.1.1. Activities of the APSARA Authority in 1997 21 2.1.2. Drafting of implementation sub-decreesfor the Law on the Protection of

Cultural Heritage 24

3. SAFEGUARDING THE ANGKOR SITE A1\T)) PREVENTING THE THEFT AND LOOTING OF ARTEFACTS 26

3.1. INTERNATIONAL ACTIONS 26 3.1.1. Procedure for ratification of the UJI,TJDROIT Convention 26 3.1.2. USIAfile 26 3.1.3. International databases for the prevention of illicit traffic 27 3.1.4. Second printing of the [COM publication 27 3.1.5. Media awareness campaigns 27 3.1.6. Returns made in 1997 28

3.2. NATIONAL ACTIONS 28 3.2.1. Heritage Police Unit 28 3.2.2. Demining 30

CHAPTER 2 - RESEARCH PROGRAMME

1. ACTIVITIES ACCOl\fPLISHED 33

1.1. REsULTS OF THE SECOND SYMPOSIUM ON THE BAYON HELD ON 22 AND 23 NOVEMBER 1997 33


5

34 2. ON-GOING ACTI''1TIES

2.1. INVENTORY OF ARTEFACTS AT THE ANGKOR CONSERVATION OFFICE, ROYAL PALACE,

AND NATIONAL MUSEUM OF PHNOM PENH , 34

2.2. SOPHIA UNIVERSITY'S ANGKOR PROJECT 34

2.3. "FROM YASHODHARAPURA TO ANGKOR THOM"-REsEARCH PROGRAMME 35

3. NEW PROJECT 39

3.1. JOINT WORK ON KHMER EPIGRAPHY '" 39

4. PROJECTS OF WIDCH THE COMMITTEE WAS APPRISED •....•.••••••••.••••••• 40

4.1. DR. ELIZABETH MOORE'S RESEARCH PROJECTS .40

4.2. REsEARCH ON THE PRINCIPLE OF PROPORTIONAlJTY IN THE CONSTRUCTION OF THE

ANGKOR TEMPLES 40

CHAPTER 3 -PROGRAMME FOR THE PRESERVATION, RESTORATION, AND PRESENTATION OF THE MONUMENT SITES OF ANGKOR

1. EMERGENCY PROJECT •••.............••.••.•.......•......•......•............................ 42

2. ACTMTIES ACCOMPLISHE.D 44

2.1. RESTORATION OF THE NORTH-EAST GATE OF THE ROYAL PALACE 44

2.2. RENOVATION OF BUILDINGS 3, 4, 5, AND 12 OF THE ANGKOR CONSERVATION OFFICE44 2.3. TOPOMETRIC SURVEILLANCE NETWORK ON THE CENTRAL BLOCK OF ANGKOR WAT.. 45

3. ON-GOING ACTIVITIES .••.............................................................•.......• 46

3.1. MAINTENANCE OF THE ANGKOR SITE '" 46 3.1.1. Maintenance of roads, canals, and monument perimeters 46 3.1.2. Maintenance ofthe monuments 47 3.1.3. Conclusion regarding maintenance activities 47

3.2. PROJECT FOR THE RESTORATION AND CONSERVATION OF THREE MONUMENTS: THE BAYON, PRASAT SUOR PRAT, AND ANGKOR W AT 48

3.3. BANTEAY KDEI 50

3 .4. RESTORATION OF THE WESTERN SECTION OF THE ANGKOR W AT CAUSEWAY-DIKE 50 3.5. PREAH KHAN 51

3.6. RESTORATION OF THE PREAH Ko TEMPLE 56 3.7. RESTORATION OF THE BAPHUON TEMPLE '" 57 3.8. RESTORATION OF THE NORTHERN PERRON OF THE TERRACE OF THE ELEPHANTS 59

3.9. STUDY OF THE CAUSES OF DETERIORATION OF THE ANGKOR WAT APSARAS AND PROPOSAL OF A RESTORATION PROJECT 61

3.10. MASTER PLAN FOR THE PRESERVATION, RESTORATION, AND PRESENTATION OF THE MONUMENTS OF ANGKOR 62

4. NEW PROJECTS PROPOSED IN 1997 64

4.1. PROJECT FOR THE RESTORATION OF THE PRE Rup TEMPLE '" ., 64

4.2. PROJECT FOR THE SAFEGUARDING AND PRESENTATlON OF THE BANTEAY SREI TEMPLE66

InternationalCo-ordinating for the Safeguarding and Development of the Historic Site of Angkor 1997 Annual Report of Activities

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4.3. PROJECT FOR THE RESTORATION OF THE EAST GATE OF THE ROYAL PALACE 66

5. PROJECTS ON TIlE ROSTER 69

5.1. PROJECT FOR THE RESTORATION OF THE CHAO SEY TEVODA TEMPLE BY THE CHINESE

GOVERNMENT 69

CHAPTER 4 - URBAN DEVELOPMENT A!'.l» TOURISM

1. ON-GOIN'G PROJECTS

1.1. DEVELOPMENT OF THE HOTEL ZOl\"E

1.2. OTHER HOTEL PROJECTS IN SIEM REAP '"

: 71

71

72

CHAPTER 5 - HUMAN RESOURCE DEVELOPMENT

1. COMPLETED PROJECTS 74

1.1. TRAINING SESSIONS AT THE FACULTY OF ARCHAEOLOGY AND THE FACULTY OF

ARCHITECTURE-1996-1997 ACADEMIC YEAR 74

1.2. INFORMATION ON VARIOUS TRAINING SESSIONS AND INTERNSHIPS OTHER THAN THOSE

RELATED TO RESTORATION WORK SITES 76

2. ON-GOING PROJECTS 77

2.1. TRAINING COMPOl\TENT IN PROJECTS IMPLEMENTED 77

2.2. TRAINING SESSIONS AT THE FACULTY OF ARCHAEOLOGY AND THE FACULTY OF

ARCHITECTURE-1997-1998 ACADEMIC yEAR , 77

2.3. ANGKOR ARCHAEOLOGICAL PARK-A TRAINING WORK SITE 78

3. NEW PROJECTS SUBMITTED ~ 1997 80

3.1. PROJECT FOR THE CREATION OF A TRAINING FUND 80

CHAPTER 6 - EDUCATION OF THE POPULATION

1. ON-GOING PROJECT 82

1.1. COMMUNITY PARTICIPATION IN PROTECTED AREAS PROJECT 82

1.2. PROTECTION OF THE KILN SITES DISCOVERED IN THE ANGKOR ARCHAEOLOGICAL

PARK 83 1.3. DEVELOPMENT OF THE POPULATION COMPONENT IN PROJECTS UNDERWAy 84

2. NEW PROJECT 85

2.1. PROJECT FOR THE CREATION OF A FUND FOR DEVELOPMENT OF THE POPULATION 85


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CHAPTER 7 - REGIONAL DEVELOPl\1ENT

1. STUDIES COl'rnUCTED BY THE JICA 87

·1.1. TOPOGRAPHICAL MAPS OF ANGKOR ARCHAEOLOGICAL PARK 87 1.2. STUDY ON THE WATER RESOURCES OF THE SIEM REAP REGION 88

2. PROJECTS FUNDED BY THE CAISSE FRAN~AISE DE DEVELOPPEMENT .. 88

3. TONLE SAP PROTECTION STRATEGY 89

4. SffiM RE.AP AIRPORT 90

5. TRANSPORTATION MASTER PLAN FOR THE SIEM REAP REGION •••••••..•.90

CHAPTER 8 - OTHER PROJECTS

1. INTERNATIONAL SCIENTIFIC AND TECHNICAL DOCUMENTATION CENTRE.

2. RESTORATION WORKSHOP AT THE NATIONAL MUSEUM OF PlINOM PENH...............•........................•..............................•....•.•••••.... 94

3. "MASTERPIECES OF KHMER ART" EXIllBITION..••..............•..........•••.... 95

4. EXIllBITION OF MOULDINGS AArn PHOTOGRAPHS OF ANGKOR WAT BASRELIEFS ....••........... ; 95

5. AUDIO-VISUAL PROGRAMME ON ANGKOR 96

5.1. JAPANESE PROMOTIONAL FILM ON ANGKOR 96 5.2. CD-ROMs ON ANGKOR 96

6. CONFERENCES ON ANGKOR

7. PUBLICATIONS RELEASED IN THE FRAMEWORK OF ICC ACTIVITIES•... 97

CONTRIBUTION PROPOSAL

1. GERMAN AND BELGIAN INSTITUTES OF GEOLOGy

KEY TO TERMS AND ACRONYMS

ANNEXES


92

96

99

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INTRODUCTION


9

Excerpt from the Report of the Sixteenth Session of the World Heritage Committee, Santa Fe, USA (7 to 14 December 1992)

"The sixteenth ordinary session of the World Heritage Committee was held in Santa Fe, New Mexico, United States of America, from 7 to 14 December 1992. It was attended by the following members of the Committee: Brazil, China (People's Republic of), Colombia, Cyprus, Egypt, France, Germany, Indonesia, Italy, Mexico, Oman, Pakistan, Peru, Philippines, Spain, Senegal, Syrian Arab Republic, Thailand, Tunisia and the United States of America.

The following State Parties to the Convention who are not members of the Committee were represented by observers: Algeria, Australia, Bangladesh, Belize, Bulgaria, Canada, Czech & Slovak Federal Republic, Finland, Greece, Guinea, Holy See, Japan, Netherlands, Poland, Russia and Switzerland.

Representatives of the International Centre for the Study of the Preservation and the Restoration of Cultural Property (lCCROM), the International Council on Monuments and Sites (lCOMOS) and the World Conservation Union (lUCN) attended in an advisory capacity . . . .

Properties inscribed on the World Heritage List

Angkor

The Committee took not~ of the report presented by Mr. Azedine Beschaouch, Chairman of the World Heritage Committee. Given the unique situation in Cambodia, which, in accordance with the Paris Accords, has been placed under the temporary administration of the United Nations since October 1991, the Committee has decided to waive some conditions required under the Operational Guidelines of the World Heritage Agreement and, on the basis of criteria (i), (ii), (iii) and (iv), has inscribed the Angkor Site, together with its monuments and its archaeological zones, as described in the "Perimetre de protection" accompanying the ICOMOS report, on the World Heritage List.

The Committee stressed that this action was not to be taken as setting a precedent for the inscription procedure, but was in answer to an exceptional situation.

Therefore, in order to guarantee the protection of the site for a three-year period (1993 to 1995), the Committee has decided that a special in-depth study will be made of the Angkor Site and that reports will be presented periodically to the Bureau and the Committee on the status of the monuments and the protective perimeter; the first report is to be presented by the July 1993 session of the Bureau to be followed by a report to the Committee during its seventeenth session in December 1993.


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In order to deal with the urgent problems of conservation quickly and effectively, the Committee has inscribed the site of Angkor on the List of World Heritage in Danger, and has requested, on the recommendation ofICOMOS, that the authorities concerned take the necessary steps to meet the following conditions:

a) Enact adequate protective legislation;

b) Establish an adequately staffed national protection agency;

c) Establish permanent boundaries based on the UNDP project;

d) Define meaningful buffer zones;

e) Establish monitoring and co-ordination of the international conservation effort. "


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Excerpt from the Report of the Twentieth Session of the World Heritage Committee, Merida, l\1exico (2-7 December 1996)

Angkor

The Committe was informed ofthe Secretariat's report to the bureau on the progress made by the Government of Cambodia in meeting the obligations made by the Committee at the time of the inscription of the site on the World Heritage List in Danger. The Committee was informed that it continues to assist the Government of the Kingdom of Cambodia to prepare the decrees necessary for the enforcement of the Law for the Protection of National Cultural Heritage which was promulgated on 25 January 1996.

The Authority for the. Protection of the Site and Management of the Region of Angkor (APSARA), which was created in fulfilment of one of the obligations, was provided with human and financial resources necessary for its functioning. All economic development projects, including tourism, are now being examined by this authority.

The Government of Cambodia has, furthermore insisted on the sacred character of the temples of Angkor which exclude, de facto, all activity or undertakings which do not respect the religious traditions of the area.

The Director of the Cultural Heritage Division of UNESCO's Culture Sector reported to the Committt:e that assurances have been given by the Government that APSARA vigorously screen all development projects and ensure that the zoning regulations are strictly adhered to. He also provided an update on the projects being carried out by the international teams, notably the Japanese team from Waseda University and the French team, from the Ecole Fran9aise d 'Extreme-Orient. He also expressed his hope that the much appreciated training programme at the Fine Arts University in Phnom Penh which is funded under the Japan Trust Fund could be continued for the next academic year to ensure the development of a new generation of national experts. In the field of promotional activities he reported on the progress in the preparation of a major exhibition on Angkor being organised by UNESCO and the French "Reunion des Musees Nationaux" in Paris in 1998 as well as in the production of the CD-Rom on the exhibition. He informed the Committee that this exhibition will also be held in Washington D.C. He furthermore reported that the second edition of the successful publication" 100 Missing Objects" is being updated with ICOM. The Committee commended the work of UNESCO in supporting the efforts of the Cambodian Government.

The Delegate of Japan added that Japan continues its support for the safeguarding of Angkor and emphasized the importance of training in this respect.

International Co-ordinating for the Safeguarding and Development of the Historic Site of Angkor ______________1_9_97 Annual Report of Activities

12

The Committee took note of the report presented by the Secretariat and conunended the Government of Cambodia for its actions to implement the obligations set forth by the Committee at the time of the inscription of Angkor on the World Heritage List. The Committee requested the Goverrunent of Cambodia to keep it informed of the progresses made in its efforts to ensure the preservation of Angkor, especially concerning tourism control and promotion, and with regard to sustainable development, in harmony with the socio-cultural character of the region. Recognizing the still-prevailing exceptional conditions at the site, the Conunittee decided to retain Angkor on the List of the World Heritage in Danger.

"'---International Co-ordinating for the Safeguarding and Development of the Historic Site of Angkor

--'-1.....997 Annual ReP'lrt of Activities

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Tokyo Declaration, 13 October 1993

" We, the representatives of Australia, Belgium, Brunei, Cambodia, Canada, China, France, Germany, Hungary, India, Indonesia, Italy, Japan, Laos, Luxembourg, Malaysia, the Netherlands, Norway, the Philippines, Poland, Russia, Singapore, Spain, Sri Lanka, Sweden, Switzerland, Thailand, the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, the United States of America, Viet Nam, the European Community, the Asian Development Bank, the International Centre for the Study of the Conservation and Restoration of Cultural Prop~rty (ICCROM), the Southeast Asian Ministers of Education Organization Regional Centre for Archaeology and Fine Arts (SEAMEO/SPAFA), the United Nations Development Program (UNDP), the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO), and the United Nations Volunteers Programme (UNV),

Meeting at the Inter-governmental Conference on the Safeguarding and Development of the Historic Site of Angkor which was held in Tokyo on 12 and 13 October, 1993,

Adopted the following :

1. We recognize that the Angkor monuments are one of the world's most valuable cultural heritages in Asia as well as the national symbol of Cambodia and its people, and that international co-operation for the safeguarding and development of the Angkor region, including the Angkor monuments, is of particular importance for national reconstruction.

2. We recognize that the people of Cambodia have sovereignty over and primary responsibility for the safeguarding and development of the historic area of Angkor. Based on this recognition, we will support the Cambodian people's efforts to bring about and pursue this task. We pay tribute to His Majesty Samdech Preah Norodom Sihanouk, King of Cambodia, for His action in favour of national reconciliation. His personal commitment has been the essential factor in the mobilization of the international community for the site and region of Angkor. We welcome the establishment of the new Government of the Kingdom of Cambodia as a result of free and fair elections, permitting the reinforcement of international co-operation for the site of Angkor and the surrounding region. We also welcome the announcement by the Government of the Kingdom of Cambodia of the introduction of organizational and legal measures to protect the site, prevent looting, and ensure the maintenance of security of the region as well as to facilitate efficient operations of preservation, restrain and development.


"'----------------

14

3. In holding this conference, we respond to the appeal of the Government of the Kingdom of Cambodia. We recognize the urgent need for international assassistance to prevent the Angkor monuments from further decay and destruction. These international efforts should be carried out in a coordinated manner for the safeguarding and preservation of the monuments and historical area taking into account their cultural, socio-economic and ecological dimensions.

4. We hold this conference for the purpose of mobilizing such international efforts. We examined the various means of assistance for the preservation and development of the Angkor area and a number of participants announced substantial financial and technical assistance for further co-operation. A list of participants which indicated their willingness, during this Conference, to contribute, by one means or another, is attached as well as the declarations made by Delegations.

5. We declare our deep appreciation of UNESCO's action for safeguarding of the Angkor monuments to date, as well as for the recognition of the site as a common heritage of mankind. This deep appreciation is also extended to the countries. Organizations and foundations which, despite difficult conditions, took and are taking measures for preventing decay and launching restoration works on the site of Angkor. A special mention of those countries, organizations (especially UNDP) and foundations, is made in the list attached. In extending international assistance, we should take into consideration the approach of regional development that the Government of the Kingdom of Cambodia wishes to emphasize and for which the Zoning and Environmental Management Plan (ZEMP), might after: review by the national authorities, be considered as a useful Contribution for the elaboration of a master plan for the region.

6. We also declare our deep appreciation for the role of international and national non-governmental organizations as well as community-based organizations in preserving the site and hope that they will continue and increase their efforts.

7. We recognize that each country and organization has its own ways and means of co-operation in accordance with its circumstances to decide what would be done in order to best mobilize international support.

8. We appeal to the international community for its support to the Government of the Kingdom of Cambodia in its actions against the looting and illicit traffic of cultural property which continue to plague the heritage of Cambodia.


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9. We expressed, as requested by the Cambodian Delegation, our readiness to systematically include, in the programme of rehabilitation and the promotion of the site of Angkor, training activities for Cambodians at all levels. We also encourage the transfer of necessary know-how between the international experts and their national counterparts.

We equally share the view on the importance that, as soon as possible, the authorities and administration of Cambodia be able to assume responsibility of the conception and implementation of works to be carried out.

We took note of the Cambodian Delegation's desire that, without prejudice to indispensable studies to be undertaken, the assistance of its partners leads quickly to concrete operations on the site.

We express our willingness to take into account these requests in our actions.

10. We agree to establish a co-ordinating committee (the Committee) at the ambassadorial level in Phnom Penh as the international mechanism for coordination of assistances to be extended by different countries and organizations as referred to in the previous paragraph. In order to assure its co-ordinating role, the Committee will be systematically informed of the details of work being undertaken on the site and in the region. It will ensure the consistency of the different projects, and define, when necessary, technical and financial standards and will call the attention of the concerned parties when required.

11. We agree that the Committee should be composed of representatives of the Kingdom of Cambodia and interested governments and organizations. Relevant non-governmental organizations and foundations may be invited to participate in the Committee as observers. It is proposed to place this Committee under the honorary presidency of His Majesty Samdech Preah Norodom Sihanouk, King of Cambodia. It will be co-chaired by France and Japan, and UNESCO wills be in charge of the secretariat of the Committee. We agree that all decisions by the Committee be subject to the agreement and co-operation of the Government of the Kingdom of Cambodia. The participants share the view that the Committee should be the international mechanism referred to in the Resolution 3.13 of the 26th session of the General Conference of UNESCO.

12. We agree to establish, when appropriate, working groups and hold round tables composed of experts nominated by the countries and international organizations which are participants of the Committee.

13. We agree to convene a second meeting of this Conference in due course to review the progress made and to discuss the need for new actions."


16

CHAPTER 1

ESTABLISHMENT OF THE INSTITUTIONAL MANAGEMENT

FRAMEWORK


17

1. International Institutional Management Framework

1.1. Meetings of the International Co-ordinating Committee

The International Co-ordinating Committee met in Phnom Penh on 14 January 1997 for its fourth Plenary Session, attended by 16 countries and 5 international organisations.

This meeting provided the opportunity for two major projects. to be adopted. The first was outlined by the Fachhochschule of Cologne and involves a study on the preservation of the Angkor Wat Apsaras. The second, presented by the APSARA Authority, is entitled "Angkor Archaeological Park-A Training Work Site" and proposes to train a team of Cambodian technicians in the field of monument maintenance.

The International Co-ordinating Committee also decided to create a new agency within itself, the Ad Hoc group of experts, as well as to adjust the number of its meetings as follows:

- One Plenary Session in late January or early February; - One Quadripartite Meeting during the last week of June; - One Technical Committee Meeting during the first week of September.

It adopted two recommendations for submission to the UNESCO General Conference in order to enable this body to adopt a special resolution on safeguarding the Angkor ·site.

A delegation of members of the International Co-ordinating Committee were the honoured guests at an audience with His Majesty the King on 15 January 1997, at which time a copy of the 1996 Annual Report of Activities was handed to him.

A quadripartite meeting (Cambodia-France-Japan-UNESCO) was held in Phnom Penh on 20 June 1997 in order to work out ways of imprOVing the working procedures of the ICC as well as to review the activities implemented during the first six months of 1997.

It was decided that the meetings of the Technical Committee would henceforth be held routinely at Siem Reap, over a two-day period, so that technical issues can be considered on site, while the Plenary Session would be reserved for the study of general policy issues.

The meeting provided an opportunity to reiterate the procedure to be followed for the submission of new projects:


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"Any new project is to be submitted at the Plena!)' Session in Februa!)'. It will then be fonvarded to the Ad Hoc group of expel1S through the Co-Chairs and Standing Secretariat. Following this appraisal, the Technical Committee will review the project proposal and give its opinion. The Royal Government of Cambodia will also provide input. Finally, the project proposal will be referred to the next Plenary Session for decision. In order to guarantee the Committee due flexibility in its work, certain new projects may be considered at a meeting of the Technical Committee, upon request by the Co-Chairs and with the approval of the Cambodian authorities. "

Excerptfrom the Report on the Quadripartite Meeting of 20 June 1997, p. 3.

A meeting of the Technical Committee was held in Siem Reap on 6 and 7 October 1997. More than 16 countries and international organisations were represented at this meeting. The main non-governmental organisations active on the site were also present, but in an observer capacity.

The meeting was covered in a detailed report that has. been distributed to all participants, and the conclusions contained in it are dealt with at length in this Annual Report of Activities.

The Standing Secretariat of tbe Committee, located at the UNESCO Office in Phnom Penh, is at the disposal of the members of the Committee. It has a close working relationship with the Co-Cllairs and the Supreme Council on National Culture.

1.2. Creation of the Ad Hoc group of experts

In keeping with the decisions made at the meetings of the Technical Committee held on 2 April and 27 September 1996, the Plenary Committee officially created the Ad Hoc group of experts at its 14 January 1997 meeting. The rules under which it will operate were adopted on 20 March 1997 by the Co-Chairmanship.

The Ad Hoc group of experts held its first meeting at Siem Reap from 18 to 22 November 1997, in accordance with highly specific and meaningful terms of reference, inasmuch as they involved a review of all current projects, as well as an emergency problem subsequent to the collapse of a 60-meter portion of steps on the Angkor Wat western moat.

The experts also gave attention to two general issues relating to safeguarding the site, firstly the training of competent Cambodian staff by means of a training work site on the Tanei site, and secondly maintenance of the monuments in the Park.


19

"'

The conclusions of the experts will be compiled in a report and submitted to the Co-Chairs, with the ICC members being apprised thereof at the 10 February 1998 Plenary Session.

1.3. Project for the creation of a project management and monitoring database

The APSARA Authority and the Standing Secretariat of the ICC have worked closely together in the preparation of a project document dealing with the creation of a management and monitoring database for projects implemented at Angkor. It was submitted to the ICC at the quadripartite France-Japan-Cambodia-UNESCO meeting held on 20 June 1997, as well as to the meeting of the Technical Committee on 6 and 7 October 1997.

On both occasions the project was extremely well received, inasmuch as it is the fIrst official effort for a centralised management and monitoring of projects implemented at Angkor by the Cambodian director of works.

The project is currently up for funding. Getting it up and running quickly is viewed as a priority matter in the framework of strengthening the ability of the APSARA Authority to truly exercise its duties as director of works in regard to the projects now underway at Angkor. It is fully in line with the training efforts being put forth (Tanei as a training work site, training of two young Cambodian architects in the framework of the creation of a Monument Maintenance Unit).


22

Significant progress was noted in five of the six projects rated as priorities by the APSARA Authority. Only the feasibility study on streamlining the management of admissions to Angkor Park was not successfully launched:

- Roadway and canal maintenance activities in Angkor Park (a) will be officially taken over by the APSARA Authority as of 1SI January 1998 (see page 46);

- It is anticipated that negotiations between the APSARA Authority and the Forestry Department of Siem Reap province regarding the creation of a tree management unit for Angkor Park (b) will be completed during the fIrst quarter of 1998;

- A project for the expansion of Heritage Police Unit activities (c) was officially submitted to the ICC by the Cambodian authorities at the meeting of the Technical Committee held on 6 and 7 October 1997 (see page 29);

- Rural and community development activities (d) were reinforced thanks to the launching of the second phase of the Community Participation in Protected Zones Project (see page 82);

- The work site training project (t) known as "AngleO! Archaeological Park-A Training Work Site" will begin early in 1998 in co-operation with SPAFA and ICCROM (see page 78). The APSARA Authority has recruited two Cambodian architects in the framework of the project for the creation of a Monument Maintenance Unit, which has been operational since lSI September 1997 (see page 47).

The APSARA Authority is made up of three departments:

1 - Urban Affairs Office and Land Ownership Office

· The Urban Affairs Office (VAO) and Land Ownership Office have been combined . up till now under the direction of Ms. Tep Vattho.

Since April 1997, the French government has seconded an engineer, Mr. Franl;ois Gardet, to the APSARA Authority. His responsibilities involve assisting the APSARA Authority in its role as director of works with regard to planning and development operations in the Siem Reap-Angkor region. He is more specifically assigned to provide assistance in the following areas: planning engineering, legal and technical support, support in negotiations with investors and donors, support for .the accounting and financial management of the APSARA Authority .

. The UAO team is made up of two full-time architects, Ms. Tep Vattho and Mr. Keo Sorotha. It is seconded by civil servants from the Siem Reap Land Registry Office, as well as by Mr. Prom Som On, Secretary of the Provincial Committee for Planning, Urban Development, and Construction, who is responsible for liaison

, with the departments of the Governor.


23

It has a three-fold focus:

• Introduction of the new procedure for building permits in the town of Siem Reap on the basis of draft sub-decrees on construction regulations, and management of applications for building pennits in the framework of the new procedure

• Valuation surveys 00 allowances for the first segment of the hotel zone, as well as allowances for public thoroughfares into the hotel zone. Mapping of the site and compilation of data collected on it are currently underway.

• Preparation of the urban development and construction regulations for the protected areas of the town of Siem Reap (a zone of 250 meters on both sides of Route N6 and 500 meters on both sides of the river), based on work done by Mr. Frederic Mauret (parcelling plan of the town of Siem Reap and study of its architectural and landscape heritage). These activities have been in abeyance since the time Mr. Frederic Mauret left in June 1997. Another year of work would be required to develop the urban development regulations for the protected zones of the town of Siem Reap.

2 - Financial and Accounting Office

The Financial and Accounting Office is located in Phnom Penh. Its new director, Mr. Moeung Sim, was appointed by Prakas of the Ministry of Economy and Finance, 8 December 1997, to replace Mr. Phen Khuon.

In September 1997, the APSARA Authority outlined a draft budget for the year 1998 for an amount of US$433,000. It is now with the Ministry of Economy and Finance for advisement, where the draft Finance Law for 1998 is being prepared.

The five institutions under the jurisdiction of the APSARA Authority and concerned Ministries carried out the following activities:

1 - Angkor Conservation Office

With the assistance of the architect on secondment from the French Government, the departments of the Angkor Conservation office and the APSARA Authority shared jointly in implementation of the following projects:

• Oversight of renovation operations for Buildings 3, 4, 5, and 12 of the Angkor Conservation Office (see page 44);

• Creation of a Maintenance Unit (see page 47); • Finalisation of the tenns of reference for the training plan and implementation of

its first operational phase (see page 78); • Restructuring plan for the departments of the Angkbr Conservation Office;


24

• Drafting of implementation sub-decrees for the Law on the Projection of Cultural Heritage (see page 24).

The departments of the Angkor Conservation Office accomplished the following:

• Clearing of the Banteay Thorn temple, located two kilometres north of the Northern Gate of Angkor Thorn;

• Provided regular maintenance for the monuments of Angkor Park; • Shared in organising the third international Ramayana festival, which took place

from 29 November to 2 December 1997, with the participation of India, Laos, and Vietnam;

• Shared in organising the second Siem Reap half-marathon, which was run on Sunday 21 December 1997;

• Prepared a project for the partial clearing and reinforcement of the Beng Mealea temple and the Sambor Prey Kuk group;

• Continued cataloguing furnishings found in the monuments and pagodas of Siem Reap province, with the more significant items being moved to the Angkor Conservation Office.

2 - Agency for the Development of Tourism in Angkor

The draft sub-decree respecting creation of the Agency for the Development of Tourism in Angkor is presently with the legal advisory board of the Presidency of the Council of Ministers.

3 - Agency for Urban Development

The activities that would normally have been handled by the Agency for Urban Development were merged with those of the Urban Affairs Office and the Land Ownership Office.

4 - Institute of Khmer Culture

The draft sub-decree for the creation of the Institute of Khmer Culture is presently with the legal advisory board of the Presidency of the Council of Ministers.

. 5 - Heritage Police Unit

The activities of the Heritage Police Unit in 1997 are outlined at length under point 3.3.2.1. Heritage Police Unit,page 28.

2.1.2. Drafting of implementation sub-decrees for the Law on the Protection of Cultural Heritage

SUbsequent to the request made by the Cambodian authorities at the 14 January 1997 Plenary Session, a Swiss legal expert, Mr. Ridha Fraoua, came to Cambodia from


25

28 September to 3 October in order to share in drafting a number of implementation sub-decrees for the Law on the Protection of Cultural Heritage.

Among the various sub-decrees provided for under this law, two have been deemed as priority matters subsequent to discussions led by the concerned Cambodian partners: the sub-decree on the purchase and sale of cultural property and the sub-decree on archaeological excavations. It also seemed advisable to prepare the sub-decrees respecting export and import regulations pursuant to ratification of the UNIDROIT Convention by the government, in order to take maximum advantage of the restitution provisions of this new instrument.

The two draft sub-decrees were developed during Mr. Ridha Fraoua's stay in the country, in close co-operation with the Cambodian authorities.

In order to be enacted by the Council of Ministers, they must firstly be translated into Khmer, go through an inter-ministerial consultation process, then be approved by the legal advisory board.

After being signed by the two Prime Ministers, the actual implementation of the legislation will require a further major effort. The Cambodian civil servants who will be responsible for them should be given a comprehensive course in legal matters, which will equip them to effectively manage the processing of applications for pennits, the preparation of decisions, as well as the handling of litigation. This would also put them in a position to draft future legal or statutory provisions.


26

3. Safeguarding the Angkor site and preventing the theft and looting of artefacts

The efforts made in the field of prevention of illicit traffic in Khmer cultural property yielded concrete results again this year. However, it must be conceded that looting has continued in the nonhern provinces of the country, as reported in the Cambodian press on a number of occasions. Furthermore, the sale of Khmer cultural property in the major urban centres of the region-Bangkok, Singapore, and Hong Kong-continues unabated.

3.1. International actions

3.1.1. Procedure for ratification of the UNIDROIT Convention

The UNIDROIT Convention, ratified by three countries, will come into force in the very near future. Many other countries are currently taking a close look at it, and further ratification decisions are expected in the next few months. As an addition to the 1970 Convention, it is a significant legal breakthrough internationally speaking in the area of preventing the illicit traffic of cultural property .

Although signed by Cambodia on 24 June 1995, it has not as yet been ratified. The document has been translated into Khmer, but a brief must still be prepared and submitted to the National·Assembly. Once the assent of the Assembly has been obtained and confirmed by vote, the only remaining step for the ratification to take effect is for the Cambodian Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Co-operation to make arrangements with Italy, the country with which the instruments of ratification are filed.

3.1.2. USIA file

At the request of the Cambodian authorities, the legal department of UNESCO has prepared a file of information that may be included should they wish to request the American authorities to restrict the import of Cambodian cultural property to that

. country, pursuant to the 1970 UNESCO Convention respecting the illicit traffic of cultural property.

{ The file was officially turned over to the Cambodian authorities in November 1997. Further information must be added to it before it can be admitted by the United States Information Agency (USIA), such as typologies of Khmer cultural property that has been illegally exported (sandstone or bronze pieces, ceramic ware, wood, etc.).


27

UNESCO has stated that it is willing to continue working with the Cambodian authorities in this field, in order to see this issue brought full circle.

3.1.3. International databases for the prevention of illicit traffic

The Cambodian authorities and UNESCO are planning to have all artefacts that have gone missing from the store-rooms of the Angkor Conservation Office between

,;; 1972 and 1994 included in a computer database especially designed for the , prevention of illicit traffic of cultural property. The database known as the Art Loss ,~~ Register is widely used by banks, insurance companies,and art dealers to verify the :,,' legality of the items offered to them.

'1 . '.~, The items included in the IeOM publication One Hundred Objects Missing1Looting at Angkor are already, in the database. The total number of artefacts . reported as missing from Angkor Conservation Office store-rooms between 1975 " ·and 1994 is estimated to be several hundreds.

3.1.4. Second printin2 of the le01\1 publication

Subsequent to recommendations adopted by the ICC at two successive meetings of its Technical Committee (2 April and 27 September 1996), the work One Hundred Missing Objects-Looting in Angkor, published by the International Council of Museums (IeOM), was reprinted in January 1997. The 5,000 copies of the reprint were given broad distribution. This second edition was made possible through the financial support of the Florence Gould Foundation, the ICOM Foundation, the Reunion des Musees nationaux, the French Ministry of Culture, and UNESCO.

3.1.5. Media awareness campaigns

, During the international Khmer art exhibition that was presented successively in , France, the United States, and Japan, both the print and audio-visual media of these countries gave wide coverage to the problem of looting that is afflicting Khmer temples.

Among the articles and news stories that were either published or broadcast on the subject, three were particularly impressive:

• A National Geographic Television film crew spent a week in Cambodia in April 1997 preparing a feature documentary on the problem of illicit traffic. It was aired for the first time on 31 August 1997.


Trafic illicite

nde publication de l'ouvrage de l'ICOM.

..... ,ouvrage a permis de retrouver

.:jour six des statues volees ala p • . elVatIon d'Angkor entre 1975 et 1993.

@ICOM

Objet DCA 1664 vendu par

Sotheby's Londres Ie 10 juin 1985.

Actuellement detenu par I'Honolulu Academy of Arts (USA).

Statue provenant

probablement du

Preah Khan de

Kompong Svay,

saisie par les autorites

cambodgiennes dans un

carnion militaire,'

au mois de revrier 1997

(ci-contre).

28

• A team from ARTE also came to Cambodia in early May 1997 in order to do another documentary 52 minutes in length regarding the prevention of illicit traffic in Khmer cultural property.

• The newspaper Le Montie published a series of 12 articles in July 1997 on the world-wide scope of illicit traffic, one of which, Les tribulations de La deesse d'Angkor (Tribulations of the Goddess of Angkor), featured the odyssey of artefact DCA 7081 that was returned to the Cambodian authorities on 2 June 1997.

3.1.6. Returns made in 1997

At the occasion of a ceremony that took place at the Presidency of the Council of Ministers, the Metropolitan Museum of New York returned a Shiva head (DCA 5729) found in its collections back in March 1994. Another head (DCA 5602), sold in Hong Kong during the 1980's, was also returned at the same time.

A third item was returned to the Cambodian authorities on 2 June 1997. It was a statue (DCA 7081) that had been offered for sale in New York by Sotheby's on 2 June 1992.

The National Museum of Sydney, Australia, returned the latest piece in late May 1997.

Several other returns are currently being processed, involving a number of American museums and international art dealers.

3.2. National actions

3.2.1. Heritage Police Unit

The decree creating the Heritage Police Unit was adopted by the Council of Ministers on 21 August 1997. It provides for this unit to come directly under the National Police Directorate rather than under the Siem Reap central police station.

In 1997, the Heritage Police Unit attempted to carry out its activities in spite of various difficulties encountered, which included an inadequate operating budget, irregular petrol supplies, and delays in salary payments. Although the perimeter of the temples protected remains unchanged (42 temples, 486 km2), staff figures have declined from 520 men in 1994 to less than 400 as the year 1997 ended.

The Heritage Police Unit reported 33 incidents of crime on the Angkor site, inclUding one instance of illegal digging and four cases of damaging statues in the temples. It intervened in 14 incidents involving the repression of thefts of works of art.


29

i

These results can only be improved if the terms of reference of the Heritage Police Unit are broadened and if the material, human, and financial resources are given to it so that it can fulfil them.

Technical assistance from France was continued in 1997. Its objectives were as follows:

• Continue retrammg activities for management level officers in the Heritage Police Unit, such as crisis intervention squads and the judiciary unit;

• Round out the training of motorcycle mechanics; • Provide maintenance of the means of transportation, crisis intervention and

communication.

The 1997 budget totalling US$52,OOO was assigned to two main entries:

• Training activities CUS$13 ,000)

138 officers shared in the retraining course held in June 1997 for Heritage Police Unit intervention squads and the Siem Reap central police station;

- Restructuring of the Heritage Police Unit (organisation and job assignments) subsequent to adoption of the decree linking it directly to the Directorate of the National Police (October 1997);

- 3 officers specialising in mechanics were trained in maintenance of the fleet of motorcycles in the framework of a mission conducted by Mr. Dominique Germon of the Sens Police Academy from 27 November to 23 December 1997;

- A course in investigative procedures and technical skill development for management staff of the judiciary squad and station heads was held from 12 to 19 December 1997 for 46 judiciary police officers.

• Purchase of additional equipment and maintenance of existing equipment (US$39,OOO)

- Acquisition of US$16,OOO worth of spare parts and tools needed for the maintenance of motorcycles acquired in 1994, 1995, and 1996 (38 motorcycles);

- Purchase of office automation equipment, photocopy machines, and computer hardware;

- Refurbishing of equipment: radio equipment, generators; and Replacement of defective radio equipment and purchase of additional items needed to equip new police stations.

At the meeting of the Technical Committee held on 6 and 7 October 1997, the Cambodian authorities outlined a project for the expansion of the activities of the Heritage Police Unit, personally supported by His Excellency Mr. Sar Kheng, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of the Interior.


30

The project comes as a major increase in the number of visitors to Siem Reap is anticipated over the next five years. Its intention is to take over the efforts started by French Co-operation and which will end in late 1998.

It proposes that the Heritage Police Unit takes on, in addition to its specific role of protecting the archaeological sites and environment, new missions that generally come under the designation of pUblic safety:

• Road safety on public thoroughfares to the temples and on parking lots; • Protecting visitors from thefts, attack, and other offences; • Local police services for communities in the park; • First aid for injured persons; • Judiciary police.

The cost of the project, currently up for funding, is estimated to be US$3,OOO,OOO for a two-year period. It provides for a major training component, as well as the upgrading of equipment and material made available to the unit (US$I,955,OOO).

The Technical Committee recommended the project for adoption at the Plenary Session of 10 February 1998.

3.2.2. Demining

With regard to the demining of archaeological sites, CIDEV focused its efforts on three main zones in 1997:

• 307 mines and 7,634 pieces of UXO were neutralised on the Phnom Krom site (to which figure should be added the 1,700 mines that had previously been neutralised). This is explained because of the strategic position of the location formerly used as a munitions and fuel depot. The demining operation led to the rediscovery of the laterite stairway on the northern slope of the Phnom.

• A laterite wall several hundred meters in length and three meters high was uncovered between the French dam and Angkor Thorn.

• Demining of the south-east quadrant of Angkor Thorn was resumed as the year ended, in order to prepare for a further lot of the archaeological excavations that Prof. Jacques Gaucher and his team have been conducting for two years now.

In parallel with archaeological demining activities, CIDEV cleaned up a number of inhabited areas, access roads, and farmland in an effort to provide safety for Villagers in Siem Reap province.

CIDEV has been receiving funding from the European Union since May 1996, which made it possible for it to achieve the following results in 1997:


31

• Demining of 130 hectares of land, including 28 historical sites; • Neutralisation of 1,500 mines and 12,000 pieces of UXQ; • Construction of two new schools and drilling of 30 wells; • Provision of over 21,000 free medical consultations.

At the request of the Cambodian authorities, CIDEV has given initial consideration to carrying out the following activities in 1998:

• Provide demining for the Beng Mealea temple, a major temple located about fifty kilometres away from the main group at Angkor.

• Open the access road to the Kulen plateau, located north of the Angkor site, provided that security conditions allow. This zone is very rich in archaeological vestiges, including the famous river of a thousand lingas discovered by Mr. Jean Boulbet in the late 1960s.

The institutional sustainability of this project has not yet been fully secured. In March 1998, the 120 deminers who have been trained by CIDEY over a period spanning more than three years now, are to join the ranks of the Cambodian Mine Action Center (CMAC), the Cambodian agency in charge of demining activities throughout the country. The European Union has agreed to continue its financial support through CMAC.

The problem of continuing the demining technique taught (on-site neutralisation and later destruction) is currently unresolved. CMAC's current plans are to integrate the 120 deminers into its Banteay Meanchey demining unit and make the CMAC approach mandatory (on-site destruction). This would effectively prevent Cambodia from demining its historic sites in the future, of which there are well over a thousand, despite the availability of a unit specialising in this particular approach for over three years now.

International Co-ordinating for the Safeguarding and Development of the Historic Site of Angkor ~ 1997 Annual Report of Activities

32

CHAPTER 2

RESEARCH PROGRAMME


33

1. Activities accomplished

1.1. Results of the Second Symposium on the Bayon held on 22 and 23 November 1997

The second international symposium on the Bayon took place in Siem Reap on 22 and 23 November 1997. Under the auspices of His Excellency Mr. Vann Molyvann, Minister of State, it was chaired by Prof. Takeshi Nakagawa, Director General of the Japanese Government Team for Safeguarding Angkor (JSA), while Mr. Azedine Beschaouch acted as moderator.

The 50 participants carried on the brainstorming started in 1996 on the safeguarding and restoration of the Bayon temple, highlighting the following two themes:

• Study of the structural behaviour of monuments, and proposals of restoration methods;

• Analysis of the behaviour of stone, and methods of repairing structural elements, statues, and bas-reliefs that have suffered from damage or wear.

These two themes were dealt with in the field on the afternoon of 22 November, in the framework of a visit to the restoration sites of the Preah Khan and Bayon temples, followed by a conference setting on 23 November.

At the request of His Excellency Mr. Vann Molyvann, the issue of anastylosis was also brought up for discussion.

The JSA team informed the Standing Secretariat of its intention of organising a third instalment of the symposium on the Bayon in 1998.

International Co-ordinating for the Safeguarding and Development of the HistOric Site of Angkor 1997 Annual Report of Activities

34

:'

(~

';;.'

2. On-going activities

2.1. Inventory of artefacts at the Angkor Conservation Office, Royal Palace, and National Museum of Phnom Penh

Inventorying of artefacts at the National Museum of Phnom Penh was started on 28 January 1997. The inventory team is made up of four persons who had previously been cataloguing artefacts at the Angkor Conservation Office and Royal Palace: Ms. Nadine Dalsheimer, Miss Bopha Seng, Messrs. Long Ponna Sirivath, and Seng Sotho

In 1997, the project received funding assistance in the amount of FF 380,000.

Practically all of the bronze, sandstone, and wood pieces, along with the ceramic • ware exhibited in the galleries-l,321 pieces altogether-were described (but not

photographed) during the inventory, which concluded in late September 1997. The 34 Buddha statues in the side hall were also described. As for the ceramic ware, new fields of analysis were developed, using as a reference the second edition of a book by Ms. Roxanna M. Brown, The Ceramics of South East Asia, their Dating and Identification.

The team worked under the supervlSlon of Ms. Nadine Dalsheimer until 13 July 1997, and continued on its own after that date. The artefacts in the storerooms that were not included in the present study must now be catalogued.

.During the month of October, Mr. Long Bonna Sirivath conducted a research study on the Shiva representations, while Miss Bopha Seng focused on the monuments of

. the Roluos group. Mr. Seng Soth worked on preparing a typology of the bronze pieces.

; In early November, Miss Bopha Seng and Mr. Seng Soth returned to Siem Reap in order to finalise the inventory of artefacts at the Angkor Conservation Office .

.Mr. Long Ponna Sirivath has occupied the post of advisor to the Minister of Culture and Fine Arts since June 1997. He also attended a course on the management of 'architectural and urban heritage, arranged by the Ecole Nationale du Patrimoine in Paris and Bordeaux from 20 April to 4 May 1997.

2.2. Sophia University's Angkor project

tIn the fourteenth volume of its report entitled Cambodia's Cultural Renaissance~( 1997, Sophia University outlined the conclusions of its research activities conducted

in the framework of its 19th and 20th missions in late 1996. The missions focused on >three main themes:


Rangement

des

depots

dela

Conservation

d'Angkor

Manutention des pieces des depOts

de la Conseryation d'Angkor par une Cquipe

de sept ouvriers cambodgiens

places sous la direction de

MM. Bertrand Porte

et Thlang Sakhoeun (ci-dessus)

Les depOts de la Conservation d'Angkor

une fois les activites de manutention terminees :

les pieces ont ete placees sur des briques

pour faciliter leur manutention ulterieure

et rangees selon une classification detailIee

(a gauche)

35

!

~

• Geolol:!y

Prof. Tomio Moriai, Messrs. Yoshiyashu Matsumura, and Koum Sorith completed tWO series of diagnostic studies. The first one, involving the stones of Angkor Wat and the Bayon, proposed to assess the resistance strength of the materials used in the construction of the two monuments. The second centred on the stones of Banteay Kdei, analysed using the resonance method. The missions made it possible to highlight the key effect of all forms of water in the deterioration process affecting the temples.

• Socio-cultural development

As a result of his research Mr. Nobuo Endo was led to propose a new, extremely thorough methodology for the management of socio-cultural development. It aims at the development of a harmonious coexistence between people, cultural heritage, and natural environment.

• EnvirOnment and biology

Mr. Shinji Tsukawaki and Dr. Lao Kim Leang conducted a comprehensive study of the bed load of the Tonle Sap River at Phnom Penh. It was found to be essentially composed of sandy mud, and contains micro-organisms that might provide valuable indices in the study of environmental changes. Dr. Lao Kim Leang has furthermore published a very detailed article entitled "The Tonle Sap Lake and the Cambodian Nation. "

In 1997, Sophia Universiry continued its research work in the framework of its 21 Sf (27 February - 21 June) and 22nd (28 August - 15 November) missions. Although the conclusions of the missions are not yet available, they focused on geology and the environment, as well as on the launch of a rural development study in the village

l of Srah Srang.

2.3. "From Yashodharapura to Angkor Thom"-Research Programme

The second campaign of the French archaeological research project at Angkor on the theme "From Yashodharapura to Angkor Thorn," was carried out on the site of Angkor Thorn from 24 November 1996 to 24 February 1997. Prof. Jacques Gaucher, who was assisted by an international team of seven persons (Mrs Nathalie Aubin, Annie Bolle, Veronique Degroot and Vanessa Massin, as well as Messrs Richard Exaltus, Philippe Lheriteau and Yannick Couturier), and four Cambodian archaeologists (Messrs Kim Minh, Ros Visot, Thong Bun Thoeum, and Ya Da), headed the campaign. Mr. Richard Exaltus, an archaeologist with the Dutch foundation Stichting RAAP, performed the archaeological surveys using core drillings.

International Co-ordinating for the Safeguarding and Development of the Historic Site of Angkor 19_97_Annual Report of Activities

36

The total budget used for 1997, including the archaeological field campaign, amounted to FF 190,000.

The conclusions of the campaign were outlined in detail at the meeting of the Technical Committee held on 6 and 7 October 1997 and were compiled in a detailed report with supporting documents. The three major research themes developed during the original program, namely the city of Angkor Thorn, the royal palace of Angkor, and the typo-chronology of the ceramic ware were pursued, and a training component was added.

• Exploration of the city of Am!kor Thorn (archaeological surveys)

This component focused on understanding Angkor Thorn in terms of urban history. It sought to establish the layout and organisation of the city in the most developed phase of its evolution (13th century), as well as the progressive stages of it development, that is how the location was gradually transformed from a natural site to a developed rural territory, and then to an urban space.

Exploration of the city started with a series of investigations inside the south-east quadrant as well as in the southern section of the north-east quadrant. The approach involved the following activities:

Creation of a regular network of passageways (demined by CIDEV) over the entire length of the quadrants; An extensive series of core drillings in order to ascertain the nature of the substratum (the man-made and natural layers) of the city; A topographical survey of all the passageways through the horizontal ground plane and a series of twelve vertical profiles over a length of 1.5 kilometres; Conducting archaeological surveys of the surfaces in order to collect materials and record the constituent elements of an urban fabric.

This campaign made it possible to bring numerous archaeological situations to light. Knowledge of the urban structure of the city and its history is now obtainable by interpreting and cross-referencing the many pieces of data gleaned during this second campaign. Among all the data, the existence of a navigable river with dwellings along it, with an approximate outline now known to us for over one kilometre of its length, appears to be a definitive feature of the history of the site.

Future campaigns will delve into the nature of the urban structure of the site and clarify the many dynamics of this river.

• Exploration of the Royal Palace (stratigraphic excavations and architectural documentation)

The second field campaign was carried out in the framework of a diagnostic endeavour, the primary goal of which is to establish an initial relative chronology of the major phases of settlement of the Angkor Palace and yield some early knowledge of the concrete dimension of the settlements.


37

Two sectors were given attention: the perimeter of the great reservoir and the immediate surroundings of the Phimeanakas. Excavations around the Phimeanakas brought to light a series of significant vestiges through as layers of miscellaneous fill, including the remains of an extensive fire, were penetrated:

A series of laterite structures (walls, galleries, slabs of pavement, ~tc.), which provides a great deal of infonnation and makes it possible to partially reconstruct the initial layout of the sanctuary and the transfonnations that it underwent; Three layers of brick pavement surrounding the temple, which makes up the outer courtyard of the Phimeanakas; Items of wood still in place and well preserved in the deeper layers.

Probes done around the great stone reservoir to the north, south, and west made it possible to confmn the existence of an elaborate terrace to the south, various walls and levels of laterite and sandstone substratum to the west and north (a significant small street of sandstone). At this point the relative chronology is enriched by the presence of another area where a fire occurred, observed by B.P. Groslier in 1952, and of an upper level of settlement characterised by spatial organisation, the leading clue being the geometric arrangement of the gutter works.

The stratigraphic excavations were complemented by extensive, virtually complete architectural surveys of the Phimeanakas and the great reservoir, including a large number of the bas-reliefs that border it to the west and south. These elements provide the necessary framework for an initial architectural and archaeological analysis of the buildings and are the basis for a series of research proposals for the follow-up field activity, mainly involving the great reservoir.

• Analysis of materials and ceramic ware

Included in the third major research theme of the programme is the establishment of a typo-ehronological basis for Khmer ceramic ware in a stratigraphic context. In view of the nature of the location and the heavy settlement of it in the past, excavations at the royal palace have yielded a large quantity of shards from utilitarian and architectural ceramic ware, both locally made and imported. Sorting of the material, creation of a database, descriptive analysis, and graphic recording

.have begun.

.• Training ,".

~,During this campaign of which three months were spent in the field, four young ~, Cambodian archaeologists (Messrs. Ya Da, Ros Visot, Kim Minh and Thong Bun ~ •. Thoeum) were given training in the recording and pre-study of the ceramic ;~ materials. The training of one of their number, Thong Bung Thoeum, was continued '~'" throughout 1997. The budget allocated for training in 1997 was US$4,830, or :{ 12.7 percent of the total annual operating budget. r;

Of

International Co:-ordinating for the Safeguarding and Development of the Historic Site of Angkor 1997 Annual Report of Activities

38

The third field mission will take place between mid-December 1997 and late February 1998. Its thrust is to expand the training given to Mr. Thong Bung Thoeum, elaborate further on the three main research themes, but with particular attention to the city and the dynamics of its evolution, a limited, localised excavation of the approach structures of the Phimeanakas, continuation of the Khmer ceramic ware analysis, an initial study of the Chinese ceramics discovered, and a brain storming on the construction of the scientific object created and its implications. Two young CSN personnel (CSN - Cooperant du Service National) on secondment from the French government. one a topographer and the other an archaeologist, will facilitate these operations.


39

3. New project

3.1. Joint work on Khmer epigraphy

Three internationally recognised epigraphists, Messrs. Yoshiaki Ishizawa, Claude Jacques, and Long Seam are working together on this project for the publication of a reference work on Khmer epigraphy. It will be a true anthology including many inscriptions in old Khmer and Sanskrit, two inscriptions in Pali, two in Japanese, one in Thai, and one in Arabic. Designed for researchers and Cambodian students, the book will be published in three languages: Khmer, French, and English.

International Co·ordinating for the Safeguarding and Development of the Historic Site of Angkor '-------- 11ID997 Ahnual Report of Activities

40

4. Projects of which the Committee was apprised

4.1. Dr. Elizabeth Moore's research projects

At the meeting of the Technical Committee held on 6 and 7 October 1997, the members of the Committee were given an update regarding the research work conducted by Dr. Elizabeth Moore. The study deals with the value of using radar imagery in the study of the ancie,nt water works of the Siem Reap region.

4.2. Research on the principle of proportionality in the construction of the Angkor temples

Pursuant to the recommendation adopted by the Technical Committee at its meeting of 27 September 1996, Ms. Tatiana Proskouriakova, Chairwoman of the Angkor Foundation of Russia, has received a one-year tenure as a UNV, starting in June

. 1997. She is thus able to make on-site verifications of her research conclusions on the principle of proportionality in the construction of the temples of Angkor.

Ms. Tatiana Proskouriakova submitted some of her conclusions at the meeting of the Technical Committee held on 6 and 7 October 1997. They confirm the possible use of the principle of modules both in the construction of Khmer temples and city-temples, as well as in urban planning throughout the region.

International Co-ordinating for tbe Safeguarding and Development of the Historic Site of Angkor tQQ7 Annll:::al R,:)nnrt nf AMivitiAC:

41

CHAPTER 3

PROGRAMME FOR THE PRESERVATION, RESTORATION,

AND PRESENTATION OF THE MONUMENT SITES OF ANGKOR


The

~{An

..

.•

Emergency project

·As a result of the torrential rains that poured down on the Siem Reap region, a 60meter portion of steps on the Angkor Wat west moat collapsed during the night of 26-27 September 1997.

structure had previously been restored by the EFEO in 1960-1961. This suggests that there are many and complex reasons for the collapse, and an in-depth

, pre-study is necessary before any restoration project can be undertaken.

initial appraisal mission was conducted on 18 and 19 October 1997 by rMr. Guillaume Stetten, a specialist in the field of water and infrastructure ;{management in the city of Phnom Penh. He is working with a programme known as

?':."Institutional Support for the Reconstruction of the City of Phnom Penh," funded by '\;the European Union since January 1995. It supports provincial utility departments, 1. including hydrology.

Recommendations of the mission:

The taking of emergency measures (keep visitors away from the area, regular surveillance of the collapsed zone to detect any movement, installation of flood scales, surveillance of altimetric and planimetric levels, etc.);

• Launching a pre-study designed to better grasp the process and help establish parameters leading to remedial measures best suited to the observed situation.

A pre-study on the causes of the damage suffered by the steps of the Angkor Wat moat is part and parcel of the drafting of a comprehensive, coherent restoration

.project. It should include the following actions:

Non-destructive probes, soil, sub-stratum and fill profile determination, identification of key parameters relative to the hydro-geology and characteristics of the materials; Study of the foundation terrain in order to determine what measures should be taken: stabilisation, reconstruction, or underpinning of the steps;

• Performance of non-destructive soil probes in the platform of earth; • Installation of levelled piezometers in such a way as to identify variations in the

level and direction of flow of the water-plains; • Precise ideptification of. the constructive and drain system for the whole step

structure; Probes to ascertain the internal building structure of the steps and the nature of the back-fill; Estimate of losses of back-fill material under the steps and investigation of a compensation alternative.


@ CIC-Angkor

60 metres de gradins se sont

e:ffondres dans la douve ouest

d'Angkor Vat Ie 23 septembre

1997 (ci-dessus).

Etaiements d'urgence

aPrasat Bakong (ci-contre).

Travaux d'urgenee

dans Ie Pare d'Angkor

Elements d'architecture

du temple de Banteay Prei

prets as'effondrer (ci-contre).

43

The APSARA Authority and the Angkqr Conservation Office have already been able to take some of the emergency measures reconunended in Mr. Guillaume Stetten's study. However, the two entities do not have sufficient funds at this time to implement all of them nor have the pre-study carried out. This emergency project is currently up for funding. It is a matter of absolute priority. Similar damage to that sustained by the western moat could occur anywhere along the circumference of the moats of Angkor Wat or even Angkor Thom.

His Excellency Mr. Vann Molyvann also sought advice from the Ecole Franc;aise d'Extreme-Orient and the JSA regarding the nature of the damage sustained by the western moat of Angkor Wat. Their technical evaluation reports are currently being written up.


44

Activities accomplished

2.1. Restoration of the North-east Gate of the Royal Palace ~:'

;::rhe project for the restoration of the North-east Gate of the Royal Palace was (;concluded on 9 July 1997. It was actually an extension of the project for the

,:"'restoration of the South-east Gate of the palace, carried out by the Indonesian Government Team for Safeguarding Angkor (ITASA).

"The operations were covered in a summary report given at the meeting of the ,Technical Committee held on 6 and 7 October 1997. A detailed report on the

Renovation

des depots

lapidaires

dela

Conservation

d'Angkor

A droite

de la photographie,

Ie depot 3

tel qu'il se presentait

avant Ie debut

des travaux.

Neufmois

de travail intensif

ont ete necessaires

aI'entreprise APCE

pour tenniner ..

la renovation

et la mise en securite

des depots.

45

Office staff in the handling of statues. Appropriate items of equipment were purchased and contributed to the Angkor Conservation Office. All artefacts have now been placed on bricks in order to facilitate future handling operations. A major saving of surface area was realised, so much so that a number of items previously stored outside the storage buildings could be brought inside. Numerous other items were also given protection from the elements following renovation of canopy areas 6 and 7.

Two labs located in Building 3 were also renovated. The German restoration project (German Apsara Restoration Project: GAPC) is using one of the labs as a venue for its study of materials. The project includes the training of a Cambodian team.

Finally, the Japanese Government Team for Safeguarding Angkor (JSA) set up a st,one saw in Building 12.

Careful budget management made it possible to carry out some additional work: renovation of Buildings 6, 7, and 8, manufacture of new shelving for the storage of collections, felling of certain trees deemed a threat to persons, buildings, etc.

At the seventh meeting of the Technical Committee held in Siem Reap on 6 and 7 October 1997, a Buddhist inauguration ceremony was organised for the buildings of the Angkor Conservation Office renovated between 1995 and 1997 through Japanese Funds-in-Trust with UNESCO. The ceremony took place in the presence of His Excellency Mr. Vann Molyvann, Minister of State, His Excellency Mr. Nouth Narang, Minister of Culture and Fine Arts, Mr. Ishi, Director of the Multilateral Division of the Japanese Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Mr. Keiji Yamamoto, Minister-Counsellor of the Japanese Embassy in Cambodia, a number of UNESCO representatives, and the APCE contracting firm, as well as full complement of other Technical Committee members.

2.3. Topometric surveillance network on the central block of Angkor Wat

The topometric surveillance network of the central tower of Angkor Wat was set up, at the end of 1993, by a team of two engineers and a geometrician from the lnstitut Geographique National (IGN), and three Cambodian technicians. From 1994 to 1996, an EFEO team has carried out a complete annual survey of the altimetric bench-marks set up on the temple of Angkor Wat. The data collected in 1995 and 1996 have not been analysed because of a lack of fundings.

\. This project can only be effective if it is carried out on a long term basis. One hopes that the funds mentioned above could be secured. The total amount of funds required is approximately US$ 10,000 for five years.

International Co-ordinating for the safeguarding and Development of the Historic Site of Angkor ~ ~19--=-97~A:...::..:nnual Report of Activities

46

3. On-going activities

3.1. Maintenance of the Angkor site

In 1997, maintenance activities were pursued under the aegis of the ILO, and involved clearing roads, canals, and monument perimeters, while the Angkor Conservation Office cared for the daily up-keep of cleared sites.

3.1.1. Maintenance of roads, canals, and monument perimeters

The ILO carried on its maintenance activities of the roads, canals and monument perimeters in Angkor Park in 1997. This year, the budget came to US$ 82,000 (i.e. 37,411 days of work), including US$ 59,000 redistributed as income to the 250 inhabitants of the Park who are sharing in the project, each of whom received US$ 0.50 plus three kilograms of food per day of work.

The project received fmancial support from the UNDP, as well as a major contribution of food (rice, oil, fish, and salt) from the World Food Programme (WFP). It was thus possible to provide regular maintenance for tens of kilometres of roads and canals, as well as for the perimeters of over 35 temples.

In order to ensure the sustainability of these activities that have been cared for directly by the ILO since late 1992, the APSARA Authority, the ILO, and the WFP have conducted a series ·of negotiations, the purpose being to work out first the technical, then the financial transfer of all the activities to the APSARA Authority during the year 1998.

The UNDP agreed to continue its financial support for another year through its Dutch Funds-in-Trust. The WFP will continue to supply food rations to the APSARA Authority for a value equalling US$ 69,000.

Two agreements signed between the APSARA Authority and the UNDP, as well as between the APSARA Authority and the WFP, will give official sanction to the transfer. The agreement forecasted with the UNDP makes provision for an actual skills tranSfer, inasmuch as three already trained technicians and an administrator

151will join the ranks of the APSARA Authority as of January 1998. The administrator will receive additional training from the ILO that will enable him to provide proper administrative support to this project and administer equally well other projects that the APSARA Authority may have in mind in the future.


Maintenance

des routes

et monuments

du Pare

d'Angkor

Entretien des routes

en laterite du Parc d'Angkor par l'equipe du BIT (ci-contre).

La vegetation est une des causes

importantes de degradation

des monuments (ci-contre aBakong). Vne des missions

de 1'Unite de maintenance

est d'en limiter

la croissance

(ci-dessous aPre Rup).

47

3.1.2. Maintenance of the monuments

Thanks to an emergency funding package of US$30,OOO from the World Heritage Committee, the APSARA Authority and the Angkor Conservation Office were able to create a Maintenance Unit in September 1997. Its mission is to identify and carry out any urgent maintenance operations necessary to ensure monument safeguarding and visitor safety.

The unit has a specially equipped 4x4 vehicle at its disposal, as well as other items of equipment. Eventually it will be directed by two Cambodians, one an architect, the other an engineer, now being trained by the architect on secondment from the Angkor Conservation Office.

The Maintenance Unit began operations in September 1997 with the removal of vegetation growth on the upper sections of the Pre Rup temple and maintenance of the existing props, as well as trouble-shooting operations at Ta Prohm, Banteay Prey, and Prasat Prey, and prop installations at Ta Prohm and Bakong.

3.1.3. Conclusion regarding maintenance activities

Regular, daily maintenance is absolutely necessary to ensure the perenniality of the Angkor complex. It is therefore encouraging to note the efforts made by the APSARA Authority during the year 1997:

• To ensure the technical and financial sustainability of the clearing operations cared for by the ILO foi more than four years now;

• To create a unit specialising in monument maintenance.

Efforts in this direction must be continued and expanded. Maintenance inherently embodies the idea of a long-range endeavour, which is the only condition under which it can be effective. The number of temples located in Angkor Park is itself suggestive of the huge job to be done and fully vindicates a stepping-up of arrangements.

At the Plenary Session of 14 January 1997, the APSARA Authority proposed the creation of a fund for maintenance and emergency operations with a price tag suggested of 1 percent of the cost of each project. Since that time, the APSARA Authority has created within itself a body empowered to identify, prepare, and

15texecute maintenance operations. As of January 1998, it will posses~ an administrative and accounting arm for the management of funds. It will be good to review this proposal which, if implemented, would make it possible to ensure the operation of the Maintenance Unit.


48

3.2. Project for the restoration and conservation of three monuments: the Bayon, Prasat Suor Prat, and Angkor Wat

The Japanese Government Team for Safeguarding Angkor carried out four missions on the site in 1997:

11 th• mission from November 1996 to January 1997; 12th• mission from February to April 1997; 13th• mission from June to October 1997; 14th• mission from November 1997 to January 1998.

As in 1996, the work performed in 1997 essentially involved the restoration of the Northern Library of the Bayon and various archaeological excavations on the Prasat Suor Prat site.

• Northern Library of the Bayon

The JSA team continued its in-depth study of the Northern Library of the Bayon, with the following achievements noted:

- Study of the internal structure of the library, with the western part of the platform being dismantled and excavations made in order to analyse the mechanics of the structural deformation;

- Experimentation aimed at investigating methods of rebuilding the internal structure of the library~

- Classification of the stone blocks stored around the Northern Library in the north-west corner of the interior gallery and outside of the north-east corner of the ext~rior gallery. Thirteen additional elements were identified as belonging to the building;

- Repair work on the stone blocks, using epoxy resins, polymer cements and dowel pins;

- Re-assembly trials on the ground of stone blocks taken from the Library; - Construction of new items of temporary infrastructure and repair work on

existing ones.

The second phase of the restoration of the Northern Library, i.e. dismantling and re-assembling the platform, commenced in late 1997.

The subject of restoration of the Bayon was covered in a second symposium that was held in Siem Reap on 22 and 23 November 1997. The objectives of the symposium are outlined on page 33.

• Prasat Suor Prat

Archaeological excavations which continue to focus on discovering the original structure of the terraces, their date of construction, and later alterations made to


Restauration du temple du

Bayon

Test de remontage au

sol de la bibliotheque nord

(ci-contre).

Manutention des blocs de

gres al'aide d'une grue mobile (ci-contre).

Blocs de laterite neufs

destines aetre inseres dans la bibliotheque

nord (ci-contre).

Decoupage d'un bloc

de laterite ala scie eJ~rique (ci-contre).

49

them throughout history, were continued In 1997. The following operations were performed:

- An excavation trench was dug in front of the tower N3, for the purpose of clarifying the chronological relationship between the east-west wall, the northsouth laterite steps, the tower, and the paving;

- An excavation trench running east-west between towers N2 and N3 was dug, in order to investigate the structure of the reservoir circumference and terrace between the east and west retaining walls, to confirm whether or not a moat with sandstone and / or laterite walls existed, and to clarify the chronological relationship among all the elements. Preliminary information gathered reveals the existence of 14 steps around the reservoir, the presence of sandstone and laterite paving between towers N2 and N3, of steps of laterite aligned on a north-south line, and a wall to the west of the main terrace. This suggests that the Prasat Suor Prat site underwent at least three alterations in the past; An ex

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