Cambodia Unveils Restored Giant ‘Dancing Shiva’ Statue from Koh Ker

Cambodia Unveils Restored Giant ‘Dancing Shiva’ Statue from Koh Ker

SIEM REAP, March 19, 2026 — Cambodia has unveiled a restored colossal “Dancing Shiva” statue from the ancient Koh Ker temple complex, marking a major milestone in the preservation of the country’s cultural heritage.

The unveiling took place at the Angkor Conservation Depot in Siem Reap before an invited audience, following more than five years of meticulous restoration work.

The statue, dating back to the first half of the 10th century, was originally commissioned during the reign of King Jayavarman IV and once stood in the royal sanctuary of Prasat Thom at Koh Ker, now a UNESCO World Heritage site.

Standing about five metres tall, with five heads and ten arms, and weighing approximately seven tonnes, the sandstone sculpture had been shattered into thousands of fragments before conservation efforts began.

The restoration project, initiated after fragments were gathered in 2012, involved painstaking efforts by a team of Cambodian and international experts to reassemble the statue piece by piece, using advanced conservation techniques.

Officials said the successful reconstruction highlights Cambodia’s growing capacity in heritage conservation and archaeological restoration, supported by international collaboration.

Experts involved in the project described the work as one of the most complex restoration efforts undertaken on a Khmer sculpture of this scale.

Authorities expressed hope that the restored statue will eventually be returned to its original location at Koh Ker, allowing public display at the historic site.

The project underscores Cambodia’s broader efforts to preserve and promote its rich cultural legacy, which plays a key role in tourism and national identity.