Archaeologists in Cambodia have discovered multiple previously undocumented medieval cities buried beneath tropical forests, using cutting-edge airborne laser scanning technology. The findings, led by Australian archaeologist Dr Damian Evans, are set to reshape understanding of Southeast Asian history.
The survey, covering 734 square miles, revealed cities dating from 900 to 1,400 years old, some as large as Cambodia's capital, Phnom Penh. Experts believe these densely populated settlements may have formed the world's largest empire during the 12th century.
Dr Evans, of the École Française d'Extrême-Orient, will present the results at the Royal Geographic Society in London. The 2015 lidar survey, funded by the European Research Council, built on a 2012 survey that first uncovered an urban landscape linking temple cities like Beng Mealea and Koh Ker to Angkor.
The scans also revealed intricate water systems predating known technology, challenging theories about the Khmer empire's development and decline. The findings question assumptions about the 'collapse' of Angkor, suggesting that the Thais did not invade and cause a mass southern exodus.
Yale professor Michael Coe called the discoveries the greatest advance in knowledge of Angkorian civilisation in 50 to 100 years. The geometric patterns formed by earthen embankments may have been gardens, while the overall evidence provides new insights into the empire's sophisticated urban planning.
