Tuesday, 22 January 2008

Japanese archaeologists uncover 1st century water site in Cambodia

Breitbart.com
Jan 21 2008

SNAY VILLAGE, Cambodia, Jan. 21 (AP) - (Kyodo)—Japanese archaeologists said Monday they have found an ancient water site in northwest Cambodia which dates back to the first century.

The archaeologists said they discovered sacred mounds of water or altars at the ruins in Snay village in Banteay Meanchey province under a two-year project which began in January last year.

"Before, it was said that Khmer civilization started from seventh to ninth century AD, but based on our research here, Khmer civilization went back to the first century AD," said Yoshinori Yasuda, a professor of the International Research Center for Japanese Studies.

"Khmer civilization established a very well-organized and harmonized water system. They constructed a perfect water circulation system until the Angkor Wat period," Yasuda said, adding that the Angkor Wat period also had a well-organized water system.

He said that through his findings, the discovered water site is the world's oldest, or some 600 years older than the Tikal ruins in Guatemala.

Yasuda said the project is supported by the Tokyo Foundation, a unit of the semipublic Nippon Foundation, and the Japanese Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology, in close cooperation with Cambodia.

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.

This year, another 12 tombs were discovered, according to Yoshito Miyatsuka, archaeologist and president of the Miyatsuka Institute of Archaeology in Sapporo, northern Japan. He conducted field site research.

The Japanese archaeologists appealed to the world to pay more attention to water.

"We are now in the 21st century facing a water crisis by which tropical rainforests are being destroyed and Tonle Sap Lake, the biggest lake in Cambodia, was polluted," Yasuda said.

"In order to keep water circulation and biodiversity, the lifestyle of eating rice and fish, preservation of nature is best," he said.

The ancient water site is located about 370 kilometers northwest of Phnom Penh, or about 70 km west of Siem Reap Province, hometown of Angkor Wat.

While stressing the significance of water, the archaeologists also sought the protection of Cambodian antiques, expressing concern over repeated looting of ancient antiques from ruin sites.

"These excavations are part of responses to the looting in Cambodia today. During the period of 2000 to 2003, an estimated 1,000 or so pottery pieces or precious stones or antiques were looted from around this site," said Yozo Akayama, a field archaeologist.

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