Ancient Shiva Nataraja Statue Restored to Full Form After More Than Five Years ••• See comments Edit post Wednesday, March 18, 2026

Ancient Shiva Nataraja Statue Restored to Full Form After More Than Five Years.

AKP Siem Reap, March 19, 2026 —

The monumental Shiva Nataraja (Dancing Shiva) statue, a masterpiece of the Koh Ker style, has been successfully restored to its full form after more than five years of meticulous conservation work, and was officially unveiled at the Angkor Conservation in Siem Reap on the evening of Mar. 18, 2026.

The unveiling ceremony was presided over by H.E. Dr. Phoeurng Sackona, Minister of Culture and Fine Arts, and opened to the public for viewing and study of this remarkable cultural heritage.

Originating from Prasat Krahom in the Koh Ker temple complex, the statue dates back to the 10th century and is considered the largest Shiva Nataraja statue in Cambodia and across Southeast Asia. Standing five meters tall, the statue features five faces and ten arms, reflecting the richness and sophistication of ancient Khmer artistry.

The statue had been fragmented into more than 10,000 pieces during the civil war due to destruction and looting. Efforts to restore it began in 2012, with the collection and cataloguing of fragments. Over the past five years, experts have carefully reassembled the pieces under strict technical and conservation standards to ensure both authenticity and long-term stability.

The restoration project was carried out through cooperation between the National Authority for Preah Vihear and the École française d’Extrême-Orient (EFEO), with support from the APSARA National Authority, Angkor Conservation, and financial assistance from the ALIPH Foundation.

Speaking at the event, H.E. Dr. Phoeurng Sackona praised the dedication of the experts involved, noting that the restoration represents not only the revival of a priceless artifact, but also a reconnection of Cambodia’s glorious past with the present.

According to the Ministry, the statue is planned to be relocated to its original site at Koh Ker, where it will serve both as a sacred object of worship and as a key attraction to draw more visitors to the UNESCO World Heritage site.

 

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EDIT ARTICLE ---------------------------------------- <div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiRH3CyO97XJEKLO6wlVCJ17RoW9CyyK9vje1uimInHoeD8Hur_IfMliJQ4EcET-uD2oasTKqUG9Fn2Od8syc9d5mtnv8MR7YAVwGgahI-7OwdAr03vsbJCTvZjPQv44FuegAnYvy56jt3mmnoP9DSKkPvs1VJu5bTbn4J6Pacg-3Y5iDjlyBLSp28FzMw/s1600/1khmer%20%281%29.jpg" style="display: block; padding: 1em 0; text-align: center; "><img alt="" border="0" data-original-height="666" data-original-width="1000" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiRH3CyO97XJEKLO6wlVCJ17RoW9CyyK9vje1uimInHoeD8Hur_IfMliJQ4EcET-uD2oasTKqUG9Fn2Od8syc9d5mtnv8MR7YAVwGgahI-7OwdAr03vsbJCTvZjPQv44FuegAnYvy56jt3mmnoP9DSKkPvs1VJu5bTbn4J6Pacg-3Y5iDjlyBLSp28FzMw/s1600/1khmer%20%281%29.jpg"/></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjzGr28GGLGDZHQcCodc9dsPS9KykH41famJ6OghOaGa5vkGZ4U_cxsZs4zkBYsC51AniYqshSg12fzFtUjFkJVqR87eONGQXNNecXj44IudE-Ts7niAB3lo4CZ2ipKIbZ9MVeu0W7XBlB9u0GRnWL9IimceGbupAEXsoS8xUN3UHB1s_rW8sYp1gfofF4/s1600/1khmer%20%282%29.jpg" style="display: block; padding: 1em 0; text-align: center; "><img alt="" border="0" data-original-height="666" data-original-width="1000" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjzGr28GGLGDZHQcCodc9dsPS9KykH41famJ6OghOaGa5vkGZ4U_cxsZs4zkBYsC51AniYqshSg12fzFtUjFkJVqR87eONGQXNNecXj44IudE-Ts7niAB3lo4CZ2ipKIbZ9MVeu0W7XBlB9u0GRnWL9IimceGbupAEXsoS8xUN3UHB1s_rW8sYp1gfofF4/s1600/1khmer%20%282%29.jpg"/></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjHlwmyOCY4RNvnFhL3DjwwtNQifBUbFhEQS8k7FxXjw5Jt8IYGxrqelguU7ABrLWdkwWzRVIFZmHF017uKXBAkjmezH1jeZjUsP08vKVA8woNoG4RNR0e3mlu8YydVvuNnh8UHcKJZ4jL2JzIZ7ewuTbuh1az0Q8QGnX5mCWYJMYrBl5QCAMXfedR0qxo/s1600/1khmer%20%283%29.jpg" style="display: block; padding: 1em 0; text-align: center; "><img alt="" border="0" data-original-height="666" data-original-width="1000" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjHlwmyOCY4RNvnFhL3DjwwtNQifBUbFhEQS8k7FxXjw5Jt8IYGxrqelguU7ABrLWdkwWzRVIFZmHF017uKXBAkjmezH1jeZjUsP08vKVA8woNoG4RNR0e3mlu8YydVvuNnh8UHcKJZ4jL2JzIZ7ewuTbuh1az0Q8QGnX5mCWYJMYrBl5QCAMXfedR0qxo/s1600/1khmer%20%283%29.jpg"/></a></div><div class="html-div xdj266r x14z9mp xat24cr x1lziwak xexx8yu xyri2b x18d9i69 x1c1uobl" dir="auto"><div class="html-div xdj266r x14z9mp xat24cr x1lziwak xexx8yu xyri2b x18d9i69 x1c1uobl" dir="auto"><div class="html-div xdj266r x14z9mp xat24cr x1lziwak xexx8yu xyri2b x18d9i69 x1c1uobl" data-ad-rendering-role="story_message"><div class="x1l90r2v x1iorvi4 x1g0dm76 xpdmqnj" data-ad-comet-preview="message" data-ad-preview="message"><div class="x78zum5 xdt5ytf xz62fqu x16ldp7u"><div class="xu06os2 x1ok221b"><span class="x193iq5w xeuugli x13faqbe x1vvkbs x1xmvt09 x1lliihq x1s928wv xhkezso x1gmr53x x1cpjm7i x1fgarty x1943h6x xudqn12 x3x7a5m x6prxxf xvq8zen xo1l8bm xzsf02u x1yc453h" dir="auto"><div class="html-div xdj266r x14z9mp xat24cr x1lziwak xexx8yu xyri2b x18d9i69 x1c1uobl"><div class="xdj266r x14z9mp xat24cr x1lziwak x1vvkbs x126k92a"><div dir="auto" style="text-align: start;">Ancient Shiva Nataraja Statue Restored to Full Form After More Than Five Years.</div></div><div class="x14z9mp xat24cr x1lziwak x1vvkbs xtlvy1s x126k92a"><div dir="auto" style="text-align: start;">AKP Siem Reap, March 19, 2026 —</div></div><div class="x14z9mp xat24cr x1lziwak x1vvkbs xtlvy1s x126k92a"><div dir="auto" style="text-align: start;">The monumental Shiva Nataraja (Dancing Shiva) statue, a masterpiece of the Koh Ker style, has been successfully restored to its full form after more than five years of meticulous conservation work, and was officially unveiled at the Angkor Conservation in Siem Reap on the evening of Mar. 18, 2026.</div></div><div class="x14z9mp xat24cr x1lziwak x1vvkbs xtlvy1s x126k92a"><div dir="auto" style="text-align: start;">The unveiling ceremony was presided over by H.E. Dr. Phoeurng Sackona, Minister of Culture and Fine Arts, and opened to the public for viewing and study of this remarkable cultural heritage.</div></div><div class="x14z9mp xat24cr x1lziwak x1vvkbs xtlvy1s x126k92a"><div dir="auto" style="text-align: start;">Originating from Prasat Krahom in the Koh Ker temple complex, the statue dates back to the 10th century and is considered the largest Shiva Nataraja statue in Cambodia and across Southeast Asia. Standing five meters tall, the statue features five faces and ten arms, reflecting the richness and sophistication of ancient Khmer artistry.</div></div><div class="x14z9mp xat24cr x1lziwak x1vvkbs xtlvy1s x126k92a"><div dir="auto" style="text-align: start;">The statue had been fragmented into more than 10,000 pieces during the civil war due to destruction and looting. Efforts to restore it began in 2012, with the collection and cataloguing of fragments. Over the past five years, experts have carefully reassembled the pieces under strict technical and conservation standards to ensure both authenticity and long-term stability.</div></div><div class="x14z9mp xat24cr x1lziwak x1vvkbs xtlvy1s x126k92a"><div dir="auto" style="text-align: start;">The restoration project was carried out through cooperation between the National Authority for Preah Vihear and the École française d’Extrême-Orient (EFEO), with support from the APSARA National Authority, Angkor Conservation, and financial assistance from the ALIPH Foundation.</div></div><div class="x14z9mp xat24cr x1lziwak x1vvkbs xtlvy1s x126k92a"><div dir="auto" style="text-align: start;">Speaking at the event, H.E. Dr. Phoeurng Sackona praised the dedication of the experts involved, noting that the restoration represents not only the revival of a priceless artifact, but also a reconnection of Cambodia’s glorious past with the present.</div></div><div class="x14z9mp xat24cr x1lziwak x1vvkbs xtlvy1s x126k92a"><div dir="auto" style="text-align: start;">According to the Ministry, the statue is planned to be relocated to its original site at Koh Ker, where it will serve both as a sacred object of worship and as a key attraction to draw more visitors to the UNESCO World Heritage site.</div></div></div></span></div></div></div></div></div></div><p> </p> ARE NOT

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