LASERS & LANDSCAPES: Revealing the secrets of a Khmer mystery

After decades of research on the ground in the forests of north-western Cambodia, archaeologists revealed in June 2013 the hidden secrets of a 1,200 year-old city. Using LIDAR technology – laser conducted from a helicopter – researchers mapped and uncovered elements of Mahendraparvata’s ancient landscape revealing an astonishing preplanned urban network that made headlines around the world. The specialist team from the Archaeology & Development Foundation (ADF) has continued its comprehensive survey and excavation work on the ground in the Phnom Kulen area to research this ancient city of the Khmer Empire.