Two statues at Angkor Thom reunited with their heads after decades

On October 1, 2026, the heads of two deity statues were reattached at the Victory Gate of Angkor Thom during a ceremony organized by the APSARA National Authority. The restoration is part of a long-term effort to reconstruct 108 statues depicting devas and asuras, figures from Hindu mythology associated with the Churning of the Ocean of Milk. Over decades of conflict and destruction, nearly all the heads of these sandstone sculptures had disappeared or been dispersed across Cambodia and abroad. According to Cambodian authorities, ongoing research, recovery and restoration efforts have helped locate almost all the missing heads. Three remain in foreign museums, with efforts underway to secure their repatriation.

Source : ministère cambodgien de la Culture et des Beaux-Arts, 2 octobre 2026.