June 2011, Daily News

Monumental Center in Laos Faces Brighter Future

By Dan McLerran   Wed, Aug 17, 2011

One look at it, and the viewer is reminded of the wonder and majesty of the great temple complex of Angkor Wat. The architecture exudes the same sophistication and aesthetic aura. Wat Phu (meaning temple-mountain) is a place that relatively few have heard about. One rarely hears of a person taking a vacation to see Wat Phu. Yet, because it is, among other things, one of the two most important archaeological treasures of the country of Laos, it is designated as a World Heritage Site. And if visual impression was the only criterion, one would have to say, "and rightly so". Like a massive, crumbling antique, however, it succumbs to the elements like so many other masterpieces of ancient architecture.  Its three biggest enemies: the erosive effects of water, time and neglect. Organized efforts are now underway to deal with these threats and restore what has been damaged by using many of the techniques and materials that the ancients themselves used when the complex was originally constructed and adorned.

Located in southern Laos at the base of mount Phu Kao, some 6 km from the Mekong river in Champasak province, it had its beginnings in the 5th century A.D. as a Hindu temple center under the expanding Chenla kingdom. Intended to represent the relationship between nature and humanity, it was laid out to connect the nearby sacred mountaintop to the Mekong river bank through a pattern of temples, shrines and waterworks. Although it was originally built as a sacred precinct dedicated to Shiva, a major Hindu deity, the buildings seen today were built during the Khmer empire during the 10th and 11th centuries and the deity associated with the complex was later changed to that of Theravada Buddhist. The site remains an active religious center to this day.

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An elevated view of the remains of the ancient Wat Phu temple complex, looking back towards the Mekong. Wikimedia Commons

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The site has been intensely eroded by water run-off from the nearby mountain, threatening the integrity of structure foundations, and inadequate site maintenance over the years has failed to sufficiently arrest the slow destruction. To restore and preserve the structures, the Global Heritage Fund, in cooperation with the government of Laos and other organizations, is executing an emergency stabilization and conservation and training program to save the last remaining temples, with particular focus on Nandin Hall, a temple threatened by the fluvial undermining of the original fill that supports its structure and uncontrolled vegetation growth that has weakened the original structural materials.

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The site plan of Wat Phu, with Nandin Hall shown on the lower right and the sanctuary (shown in the cover photo, top left) on the left. Courtesy Henry Flower, Wikimedia Commons. 

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Implementing a carefully planned restoration and conservation plan, GHF has trained and employed local people to apply re-building and restorative techniques based on research of the original construction techniques and materials used when Nandin Hall was built during the Khmer Empire (See photos, below). Thus far, new drainage systems have been installed, rooms have been partially dismantled and reassembled, and the Ceremonial Road that leads to the site has been restored, including excavation and reinstallation of statuary along the road. Looking toward the future, planners have trained, or will train, members of the local stakeholder communities to manage the site and to deal with and manage the increasing number of tourists that visit the site each year.

"Forty-five full-time staff members now work on the site", reports GHF, "including 12 engineers and architects, up from just four at the start of the GHF project.  One project archaeologist has now received his PhD from the University of Hanoi and became the #2 figure in the Lao Ministry of Culture Archaeology Department.  Another project member has received a Masters degree from Waseda University.  GHF supported the authentic restoration of a community library in the town of Champasak today used by all peoples as a community meeting and study space equipped with furnishings and hundreds of books." 

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The north side of Nandin Hall before restorative intervention. Courtesy Global Heritage Fund.

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As part of conservation planning, all features were drawn before the intervention began. Courtesy Global Heritage Fund.

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Traditional Khmer stone-moving techniques were employed in the restoration. Courtesy Global Heritage Fund.

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Local workers dismantling the floor as part of the restoration process. Courtesy Global Heritage Fund. 

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Looking better. The north side of Nandin Hall after restoration has been well underway. Courtesy Global Heritage Fund.

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Efforts appear to be paying off in a big way for the benefit of both future generations of visitors and the local communities. At the start of the project in 2005, visitation was under 20,000 people a year. In 2010, the numbers had increased to over 250,000, with generated revenues of over $1.2 million. The government of Laos is now funding the newly expanded staff and facilities; the Italian government has provided more than $240,000 of matching funding for the project; and Japanese funding has made it possible to establish a new $800,000 museum at the site.

Says one observer of the changes: "It looks like Wat Phu is really on the map now."

Wat Phu. Courtesy Mark Alexander, Wikimedia Commons.

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Cover Photo, Top Left: The facade of the sanctuary. The Buddha image inside is modern - the site is still used for religious worship today. Caption text and photo courtesy Mark Alexander, Wikimedia Commons.

For more information about Wat Phu and the Global Heritage Fund, go to the GHF website.

By Dan McLerran

As Founder and Editor of Popular Archaeology Magazine, Dan is a freelance writer and journalist specializing in archaeology.  He studied anthropology and archaeology in undergraduate and graduate school and has been an active participant on archaeological excavations in the U.S. and abroad.  He is the creator and administrator of Archaeological Digs, a popular weblog about archaeological excavation and field school opportunities.