On Sunday, Cambodian archaeologists found a statue thought to date from the late 12th to early 13th century during the reign of Jayavarman VII, in the ruins of an ancient hospital just north of Angkor Thom in the Angkor Wat complex.
The statue is virtually intact, and many of the details of its clothing, jewelry and head wear can still be made out, although parts of its legs are missing. It weighs 200 kg, is 2m tall, and was buried upright, its head a mere 40 cms below the ground when it was discovered.
Jayavarman VII, who ruled the Khmer Empire from 1181 AD to 1218 AD, was one of the few Buddhist Khmer rulers. He was responsible for the building of the impressive Bayon temple mountain, which bears 216 huge likenesses of the king carved in stone.
Photo: AFP
照片：法新社
He was also known for his social programs, and is thought to have had 102 hospitals built.
The buried statue was carved in the shape of a guard, and it is thought to have stood at the entrance to the hospital, one of four built in the area, giving it symbolic protection.
Little remains of the original hospital structures, as they would have been made from wood, but elements of the buildings, such as this statue, have withstood the test of time. It is possible the statue was buried to prevent it from being destroyed or looted.
Photo: AFP
照片：法新社
(Paul Cooper, Taipei Times)
柬埔寨考古學家上週日發現一座雕像，在吳哥城北部吳哥窟建築群內的古代醫院廢墟中，推測其年代約為十二世紀晚期至十三世紀早期，闍耶跋摩七世在位時。
這座雕像幾乎完好無損，雖然在腿部有幾處遺缺，但其服裝、珠寶及頭飾等許多細節仍清晰可辨。雕像重兩百公斤，高兩公尺，且是直立掩埋；當它被發現時，其頭部距地面僅四十公分。
Photo: AFP
照片：法新社
闍耶跋摩七世在西元一一八一年至一二一八年之間統治高棉帝國，是高棉的少數幾位佛教徒統治者之一。他建造了壯觀的巴揚寺廟山，該寺有兩百一十六件闍耶跋摩七世的巨型石雕像。
闍耶跋摩七世也以其社會建制聞名，據信他建造了一百零二間醫院。
這座剛發掘的雕像是一名衛士，推測原先樹立在醫院的入口，以作為護衛的象徵。該區域原有四座醫院。
原始的醫院建築所留下來的遺跡很少，因其為木造結構之故；但其建築的一些基本部分，例如此雕像，卻克服了時間的考驗。這座雕像被埋的原因可能是為了避免遭到破壞或盜走。
（台北時報編譯林俐凱譯）
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