ABSTRACT
Long the domain of French historians and conservators, the ancient site of Angkor has, over the past 25 years, been a veritable hive of conservation activity – a place to consider new techniques in engineering, stone cleaning and repair and a setting in which to experiment with new ways of protecting the surrounding environment. An expression of Cambodia’s growing independence and cultural renewal, Angkor has also been a place where money and expertise from the world community has underwritten the protection of a much-threatened heritage site (see Figure 11.1). An important part of the recent history of the extensive site – the park at Angkor includes not only the central shrine of Angkor Wat but more than 40 other monumental sites – these outside involvements continue to colour the nature of the work and the organizational structure of the conservation effort in this Southeast Asian country. 1 Ruins of Angkor, c. 1994. https://s3-euw1-ap-pe-df-pch-content-public-p.s3.eu-west-1.amazonaws.com/9780203066591/8fc40069-979a-4358-a5bb-bd2fbd51daf4/content/fig11_1_B.jpg" xmlns:xlink="https://www.w3.org/1999/xlink"/> (Source: William Chapman)
