A statue of Vishnu was unearthed in Kampong Speu province, dating to the 6th or 7th century. The statue may be related to the Funan Period of Cambodia’s past.

Kampong Speu dig turns up unexpected treasure

Phnom Penh Post, 31 Aug 2012



An excavator digging a pool in Kampong Speu province’s Samrong Tong district this week struck an unexpected find when its operators unearthed an ancient Hindu statue two metres below ground.

The 1.4-metre stone statue of the Hindu god Vishnu is thought to have been carved in the sixth or seventh centur-ies, around the time of the early Khmer polity of Funan, one expert believes, perhaps travelling some distance to get to the spot it was discovered.

“This one could be interesting . . . because it’s far from the Funan area of Takeo,” former archaeology lecturer Son Soubert said after examining a photo of the headdressed stone figure, now sporting only one and a half arms.