An Artwork Fragmented in the Face of Rigorous Scientific Methodology
When the EFEO teams intervened on the Koh Ker site, the statue was reduced to thousands of scattered fragments. More than 10,000 pieces were collected, including about 2,750 identified and documented sculptural elements.
Facing this extremely fragmented state, the EFEO undertook a thorough preparatory phase of work between 2012 and 2019. The objective was clear: to transform a set of unstable remains into a structured scientific corpus.
«These investigations transformed thousands of vulnerable fragments into a documented and exploitable corpus,» emphasizes the EFEO.
The EFEO, Pillar of Scientific Coordination
The EFEO did not just intervene on the field. It ensured the scientific direction of the project by structuring the data, coordinating partners, and defining methodological choices.
Under the direction of Éric Bourdonneau, the institution set up a comprehensive database integrating surveys, photographs, and digital models. This work allows the identification of more than 700 connections between fragments, paving the way for a partial reconstruction of the artwork.
This coordination role also extended to the establishment of a scientific and technical committee, responsible for validating the directions of the project.
The Decisive Contribution of Digital Technologies
One of the major contributions of the EFEO was the integration of digital tools into the restoration process.
Each fragment was digitized in three dimensions, allowing virtual testing of assemblies. This approach limited physical manipulations and allowed hypotheses to be verified before any intervention.
Thanks to these analyses, between 70 and 75% of the torso surface could be repositioned, making the operation technically feasible.
Mastered Engineering for Stability
The operational phase, carried out from 2019 at Angkor Conservation, is based on precise technical choices.
The EFEO supervised the design of an internal metal structure, organized around a central core anchored in a steel base. This device ensures the stability of the whole while remaining discreet.
The fragments are consolidated with metal rods and assembled with suitable mortars, composed notably of sand powder and lime. Specific work is done on integrating the tones to preserve the visual coherence of the whole.
An Ethical Approach Claimed
The EFEO adopted a clear line: to intervene without artificially reconstructing the artwork.
Restorations were only made when the data were reliable enough. Otherwise, gaps were preserved to make visible the transformations and destructions over time.
«The objective is to restore the readability and monumentality of the artwork while leaving visible traces of its history,»
Transmission, Means, and Mobilization
Beyond restoration, the EFEO inscribes its action in a logic of transmission.
More than twenty trainee restorers participated in the project through five dedicated sessions on sculpture conservation. This educational dimension contributes to strengthening local skills and perpetuating know-how.
The project had a budget of approximately 480,000 euros, mobilized with the support of international partners.
Under the coordination of the EFEO, eleven different trades were involved, bringing together restorers, archaeologists, engineers, historians, curators, and geologists. The restoration required 600 working days, in addition to 215 days dedicated to designing the structure.
This diversity of skills illustrates the magnitude of the work coordinated by the institution.
An Intervention Inscribed in the Long Term
Through this project, the EFEO confirms its historical role in the study, preservation, and transmission of heritage in Southeast Asia.
The restoration of the Shiva of Koh Ker is part of a continuity: that of an ancient scientific presence that combines field research, methodological innovation, and cooperation with Cambodian institutions.
