Siem Reap – The APSARA National Authority's Department of Conservation and Archeology has embarked on a meticulous restoration project to repair two damaged window pillars at the iconic Angkor Wat temple. The restoration efforts are concentrated on one pillar on the northeast side of the Preah Poan gallery, which was found broken into two pieces, and another at the temple's front gate, near the northern end of the Elephant Road, which had fractured into four parts and exhibited cracks.
Soy Sophearin, a stone conservation expert working on the Angkor Wat temple, reported that the pillars' dilapidated and unstable condition prompted immediate temporary stabilization measures. These included binding the structures with temporary supports to prevent further damage. The pillar near the Elephant Road, despite being of good quality, suffered from a broken base, necessitating a comprehensive repair strategy. This strategy includes a series of restoration steps such as dry cleaning, wet cleaning, salt extraction, core connecting, and gluing. To ensure durability and prevent water infiltration, lime mortar is being used, and missing stones are replaced to restore the pillar's integrity fully.
The second pillar, retrieved from the northeast corner of the second gallery, showed significant deterioration and damage, including the loss of a stone, which compromised its stability. The conservation team is dedicated to repairing, reinforcing, and treating the pillar, employing new stones to restore its strength and stability.
The deterioration of these architectural elements is attributed to the natural aging of the stone materials, exacerbated by the hot and humid climate conditions of the region. Moisture penetration through stone seams or cracks is a significant factor in the stone's decomposition.
Soy Sophearin has issued a plea to both national and international visitors of Angkor Wat, urging them to refrain from leaning on or clinging to the window pillars, as these are not structurally robust and serve primarily as ornamental features of the temple's architecture.
