Archaeologist Christine Hawixbrock and her team discover a small cymbal during the excavation of an ancient Khmer temple complex. Artifacts like this would have been used as part of a religious ceremony, and suggest the presence of a royal elite here during the pre-Angkorian period.
TRANSCRIPT
The style and size of these large bricks date the temple to the 7th century, about 500 year before Angkor reached its peak.
But the team is even more excited about the discovery of an artifact found inside the temple site.
-Incredible!
Totally similar that we found in the treasure of Nong Hua Thong.
The team has found a small cymbal, almost identica to one found with the collection back at the vault.
-A sort of bell.
-Okay.
Cymbale?
-Bell.
Cymbale.
Une petite cloche.
Usually there is two.
Khmer cymbals like thi would have been used in a temple as part of a religious ceremony.
The cymbal's location could in turn, help determine its age.
-So, can you show me... -Yes.
Can you show me the exact place?
Ah, you find directly on the ground?
-Yes.
-It was a little bit higher?
-On the top.
-Yes, a little bit higher.
-A little bit higher.
Knowing where the cymbal was found, the team is now able to date it to roughly the 7th century.
Along with the temple, it suggests the presence of a royal or religious elite here in the pre-Angkorian period, at the time the treasure might have been made.