PHNOM PENH, March 16 (AP) - (Kyodo)—Cambodia is preparing to nominate two more ancient temple sites -- Sambo Prey Kuk and Bantaey Chmar -- as UNESCO World Heritage sites, a senior government official said Monday.
Chuch Phoeung, secretary of state of the Ministry of Culture and Fine Arts and a famous Cambodian archeologist, told Kyodo News that the Cambodian government is prioritizing Sambo Prey Kuk and Bantaey Chmar out of thousands of ancient temples in the country.
If the nominations are accepted by the U.N. Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization, they would bring the number of World Heritage sites in Cambodia to four.
The world-famous Angkor Wat temple complex and nearby ruins in the northern province of Siem Reap became a World Heritage site in 1992. The Preah Vihear temple, on Cambodia's border with Thailand, was inscribed last year.
Sambo Prey Kuk, commonly spelled Sambor Prei Kuk, is located in the central province of Kompong Thom and consists of dozens of small temples and structures that were built between the 6th and 7th centuries AD, predating the Angkor monuments that lie some 140 kilometers to the northwest.
The temples of Banteay Chmar, in the northern province of Banteay Meanchey, were built between the 12th and 13th centuries and are known for their superb bas-reliefs.
Chuch Phoeung said more paperwork needs to be done before the temples can be officially nominated for inscription.
He said Waseda University of Japan is currently helping his ministry with those preparations. Waseda's Laboratory of Architectural History has been engaged with the ministry since 1998 in a project to conserve and restore the ruins of Sambo Prey Kuk.
Chuch Phoeung, secretary of state of the Ministry of Culture and Fine Arts and a famous Cambodian archeologist, told Kyodo News that the Cambodian government is prioritizing Sambo Prey Kuk and Bantaey Chmar out of thousands of ancient temples in the country.
If the nominations are accepted by the U.N. Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization, they would bring the number of World Heritage sites in Cambodia to four.
The world-famous Angkor Wat temple complex and nearby ruins in the northern province of Siem Reap became a World Heritage site in 1992. The Preah Vihear temple, on Cambodia's border with Thailand, was inscribed last year.
Sambo Prey Kuk, commonly spelled Sambor Prei Kuk, is located in the central province of Kompong Thom and consists of dozens of small temples and structures that were built between the 6th and 7th centuries AD, predating the Angkor monuments that lie some 140 kilometers to the northwest.
The temples of Banteay Chmar, in the northern province of Banteay Meanchey, were built between the 12th and 13th centuries and are known for their superb bas-reliefs.
Chuch Phoeung said more paperwork needs to be done before the temples can be officially nominated for inscription.
He said Waseda University of Japan is currently helping his ministry with those preparations. Waseda's Laboratory of Architectural History has been engaged with the ministry since 1998 in a project to conserve and restore the ruins of Sambo Prey Kuk.
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