ABC Radio Australia
23/01/2008
Japanese archaeologists say they have discovered the remains of a man-made water channel in northwest Cambodia - used for rituals as far back as the first century.
They say they have found the sacred mounds or altars at the ruins in Snay village in Banteay Meanchey Province.
The discovery comes under a two-year project that began last January.
Yoshinori Yasuda, a professor of the International Research Center for Japanese Studies, says previously it was believed that Khmer civilization started from the seventh to ninth century AD.
He says based on the latest findings, researchers now think the Khmer civilization goes back to the first century AD.
Mr Yasuda says the recently discovered water channel may be the world's oldest, or some 600 years older than the Tikal ruins in Guatemala in the seventh to ninth centuries.
The site is located about 370 kilometres northwest of Phnom Penh, or about 70 kilometres west of Siem Reap Province, which is home to Angkor Wat.
With 10 Japanese archaeologists and experts and 50 Cambodian staff, the team excavated five sites last year, discovering 36 tombs, seven pits and 156 pottery pieces.
23/01/2008
Japanese archaeologists say they have discovered the remains of a man-made water channel in northwest Cambodia - used for rituals as far back as the first century.
They say they have found the sacred mounds or altars at the ruins in Snay village in Banteay Meanchey Province.
The discovery comes under a two-year project that began last January.
Yoshinori Yasuda, a professor of the International Research Center for Japanese Studies, says previously it was believed that Khmer civilization started from the seventh to ninth century AD.
He says based on the latest findings, researchers now think the Khmer civilization goes back to the first century AD.
Mr Yasuda says the recently discovered water channel may be the world's oldest, or some 600 years older than the Tikal ruins in Guatemala in the seventh to ninth centuries.
The site is located about 370 kilometres northwest of Phnom Penh, or about 70 kilometres west of Siem Reap Province, which is home to Angkor Wat.
With 10 Japanese archaeologists and experts and 50 Cambodian staff, the team excavated five sites last year, discovering 36 tombs, seven pits and 156 pottery pieces.
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