The Ministry of Culture and Fine Arts uncovered several 11th century sandstone artifacts yesterday in Baset temple in Battambang’s Sangke district, after officials were clearing one of the temple’s collapsed walls.


Prak Sunnara, the Director General of the Ministry’s Heritage General Department, said his officials found three statue torsos and two statue heads during its conservation efforts in repairing the dilapidated temple.


“We worked on repairing and conservation many days ago, but yesterday our officials found three statues’ torsos, and today we found two more statues’ heads,” he said.


“We found them after we moved the ancient bricks of the temple, which collapsed.”


The torsos have been sent to be stored at the Battambang Museum, the second largest museum in the Kingdom after the National Museum in Phnom Penh.


“After we found two more heads today, we think they could fit with the statue’s torsos which were found and kept at the museum,” Mr. Sunnara said, adding that his officials will take the heads to identify them at the museum.