Banteay Chhmar, Cambodia - Global Heritage Fundglobalheritagefund.org/docs/GHFBanteayChhmarProspectus112011.… · ancient Khmer water engineering feeding the temple moat and supplying

Banteay Chhmar, Cambodia

Funding Proposal

Saving Cambodia’s Khmer Treasures through Integrated Heritage Conservation and Community Development

In Partnership with the Ministry of Culture and Fine Arts, Royal Government of Cambodia

November 2011

GHF Banteay Chhmar Conservation and Community Development

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Table of Contents

I. Executive Summary…………………………………………………3 2012-2013 Conservation Program and Budget Summary A New Vision for Banteay Chhmar The Opportunity II. Conservation and Community Development Objectives…………8 Master Conservation Planning and Expanded Site Protection Preservation of Bas Relief Galleries Stabilization and Access for the Central Temple Complex Community Development, Training and Stewardship III. Major Threats to Banteay Chhmar……………………………..…..12 IV. Priority Conservation Goals…………….…………………….…….13 Structural Assessment The Banteay Chhmar Bas Reliefs V. Project Objectives……………………………………..…………….15

VI. Workplan and Budget……………………………………………….16

VII. GHF Partners in Conservation and Acknowledgements…….……18 VIII. About Global Heritage Fund………………………………………..19


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“You cannot compare Banteay Chhmar with the looting at Angkor. It's not basic, usual looting; it's on a totally different scale. At Angkor the head disappears. At Banteay Chhmar, whole walls disappeared. It's as if you have Notre Dame de Paris and somebody comes and starts to cut off all the pediments. You could say it is unfortunately one of the worst damages in the history of the looting of Cambodian temples.”

Sebastien Cavalier, UNESCO Cambodia, quoted in The New York Times

Executive Summary

Global Heritage Fund (GHF) is securing 2012-2013 financial support for our critical work to protect, preserve and sustainably develop Cambodia’s most important satellite Khmer Kingdom archaeological site - Banteay Chhmar (The Citadel of the Cats), one of the great architectural masterpieces of Southeast Asia’s epic Angkorian Period. Located on the royal road to Pimai, it is one of Cambodia’s top-listed sites for nomination to UNESCO’s World Heritage List. Banteay Chhmar was built at the end of the 12th century by King Jayavarman VII following similar grandiose temple plans that he was building in Angkor. A one-kilometer arcaded enclosure wall formerly surrounded the temple carved with detailed bas reliefs telling the story of the Ancient Khmer and depicting royal processions and battles with the Chams including large images of a multi-armed Avalokiteshvara. Most of it is now in ruins. Banteay Chhmar is located in a remote area of northwest Cambodia to which only a few intrepid visitors have journeyed. During the recent periods of unrest, the site has been subject to extreme looting and was not de-mined until 2007. In 1999, the Thai police intercepted a truck near the border with Cambodia carrying 117 decorated stone pieces removed from the bas relief wall of Banteay Chhmar - this was one of the boldest heists in Cambodia’s long history of looting. Fortunately the pieces were returned to Cambodia and are now on display in the National Museum in the capital, Phnom Penh. Lacking any conservation over the past 800 years, Banteay Chhmar has slowly collapsed and disintegrated - its proud towers and awesome temples disappearing into the overgrowth. As a result of threats from the jungle vegetation, structural failure and looting, Banteay Chhmar is in critical need for conservation, master planning and increased protection. Local communities must be an integral part of Banteay Chhmar’s protection and responsible development to ensure long-term success and proper management. New roads connecting Cambodia and Thailand will bring an onslaught of additional tourists to Banteay Chhmar, and GHF – in collaboration with the Ministry of Culture and Fine Arts – is now in a race against time to prepare the site to minimize further damage as well as to prevent this sacred site from being overrun by visitors and the destructive forces of unplanned development.


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GHF Priority Conservation Area – Banteay Chhmar, Cambodia


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2012-2013 Conservation Program and Budget Summary GHF is seeking to secure $460,000 in 2012 and 2013 for four primary areas of focus:

• Monument Conservation and Restoration $280,000

• Master Planning, Mapping, Surveying and Publishing $ 40,000

• Community Development and Site Protection $ 60,000

• GHF Project Leadership and Field Support $ 80,000

• Total Conservation Budget $460,000

The greatest funding need is for supporting the 80-person team leading the conservation and repair program to stabilize the bas relief walls and face towers of the archaeological complex of Banteay Chhmar. The site’s bas reliefs are some of the finest in existence. In addition, a major effort is underway to prepare a master plan and community development programs with the local communities (14,000 people).

A New Vision for Banteay Chhmar Your support will enable GHF to lead a multi-pronged Preservation by Design® strategy of planning, scientific conservation, community development and partnerships:

1. UNESCO World Heritage – GHF will support the Cambodian government in securing designation as universally recognized as a treasure from the Khmer civilization demonstrating the highest of artistic endeavors. 2. Stabilized and Ready for Tourism – GHF is preparing for the expected onslaught of tourism and making the site accessible for all to learn about and enjoy in a sustainable manner, while increasing its protection from encroachment and unplanned development. 3. Environmental Conservation – GHF is planning a cultural and natural park showcasing ancient Khmer water engineering feeding the temple moat and supplying surrounding towns, while encouraging reforestation of the surrounding areas. 4. Sustainable Preservation – GHF is establishing the first major archaeological site in Cambodia conserved and protected by the local communities that is a source of local identity and inspiration and an exemplar of sustainable development, employing improved methods for conserving archaeological heritage sites. 5. Scientific Conservation – GHF has brought over 30 of the leading archaeological conservation, hydrology, stone engineering and Khmer architectural experts together for the planning, science, training and conservation of Banteay Chhmar to ensure the highest excellence in heritage conservation.


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Above: Local communities still worship in the temples of Banteay Chhmar. The six villages surrounding the site will be the primary stewards and beneficiaries of GHF support for conservation and sustainable development.

Above: The walls surrounding Banteay Chhmar were carved in relief for over a kilometer with an elaborate story of the Khmer Kingdom, commissioned by King Jayavarman VII in the 12th century.


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The Opportunity

Banteay Chhmar Temple, along with its moat, its reservoir (baray) and its extended unspoiled environment, constitute one of the most significant Khmer historical complexes in Cambodia. For this reason it was placed on the UNESCO World Heritage Tentative List by the Ministry of Culture and Fine Arts (MCFA) in September 1992. The Ministry plans to complete the process of formal nomination for World Heritage Site designation in the coming year. In 2002, the MCFA, with assistance from the Ministry of Interior, established protected cultural zones in the Banteay Chhmar region as well as guidelines for their management. In 2004, the MCFA took the decision to prepare a World Heritage nomination for Banteay Chhmar. As a result, plans were developed to identify Preservation Zones and Buffer Zones at the site. To that end, the Preservation Zone was identified as the outer edge of the moat, while the outer Buffer Zone has been set at 150 meters beyond the line of the original outer bundh. Prior to the establishment of this Buffer Zone, the local village had already encroached within the outer enclosure wall along the edge of the moat on all but the northern side. Banteay Chhmar’s remote location and rural setting provide a real opportunity to draw crowds away from Angkor and to spread the benefits of tourism to outlying regions in accordance with the aims of the MCFA and that of the Authority for the Protection and Management of Angkor and the Region of Siem Reap (APSARA) that governs the Historic City of Angkor.

Above: GHF’s Field Director, John Sanday (foreground, left), inspecting the fallen walls of Banteay Chhmar which in some places constitute a jumbled layer nearly three meters deep.


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Conservation and Community Development Objectives – 2012-13 GHF’s primary conservation and development goals are:

1. Master conservation planning and expanded site protection

2. Model conservation and preservation of the bas-relief galleries

3. Stabilization of the central temple complex

4. Training of MCFA staff and in-country, regional and local experts in preservation

5. Increased revenue capture and income diffusions for the local community through

community-based tourism development, training and stewardship

6. Assisting the Cambodian government in UNESCO World Heritage Site nomination and

inscription process

7. Marketing and promotion of Banteay Chhmar cultural assets and traditional setting to

national and international cultural tourists in Cambodia

8. Regional and Site Conservation Plans approved by the government

1. Master Conservation Planning and Expanded Site Protection

GHF’s Master Planning will provide Banteay Chhmar the means to establish an appropriate, long-term balance between the needs of conservation, access, sustainable economic development and the interests of the local community. Additionally, the government has recommended that the Master Plan be prepared as a means for dealing with all of the issues affecting complex archaeological sites. It is important that the Master Plan be developed in consultation with all of those who are stakeholders in Banteay Chhmar or who may be affected by policies applied to the site. An underlying principle is that of sustainability which strikes a balance between maximizing enjoyment and use of the complex while still preserving the values and fabric of the site and its setting to ensure that its universal significance is not impaired for future generations. Thus the Banteay Chhmar Master Plan aims to regulate activities within the temple complex and surrounding area while also posing strategies to link the site’s operation with other stakeholders and organizations. The Master Plan will:

• provide an inclusive vision of both natural and cultural heritage along with sustainable tourism and responsible development

• be participatory by involving key players, especially the surrounding communities • be based on science and updated area data - not extrapolated from other areas –

including reliable scientific studies of local geology, forestry and wildlife • integrate the natural and cultural management through inter-institutional coordination

Global Heritage Fund signed a multi-year agreement with the Ministry of Culture and Fine Arts in 2010 for the master planning, conservation and protection of Banteay Chhmar following


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GHF’s Preservation by Design methodology, which will take the site through a structured process of planning and design, threat mitigation, scientific site conservation, training and community development and stewardship. GHF is implementing an integrated program at Banteay Chhmar to enable local communities to benefit from the site’s development and enhance the protection for the site and the surrounding area. Today Banteay Chhmar has little protection and few dedicated guard patrols except in the main temple complex, which is surrounded by an ancient moat. The entire complex covers over 12 square kilometers and encompasses many outlying temples, a massive man-made reservoir, or baray, and six villages. A new Master Conservation Plan (MCP), maps and GIS database need to be developed in order to outline a comprehensive strategy for preserving the historical character of not only the main temple but the entire cultural landscape. Working closely with the local communities, GHF will seek solutions to prevent over-commercialization and destruction of surrounding archaeological sites as well as to develop an integrated plan for the entire area.

Above: Plan of the temple showing the locations of the major extant sections of bas reliefs and inscriptions. 2. Preservation of the Bas-Relief Galleries

GHF is funding a two-year program to test materials, develop methods and train a local team to carry out the conservation of the sandstone bas reliefs of Banteay Chhmar. Led by the South Asian Conservation and Restoration Agency (SACRA) Conservation Team under GHF’s supervision, the preliminary training will be done, for the first time, in the Khmer language by Khmers for Khmers, which will be a landmark in the sustainable conservation process for Cambodia.


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This training and model conservation program will include:

• training in emergency and full stone conservation methods, materials and approaches;

• execution of a sampling and testing program that will provide scientific data necessary for understanding the decay mechanisms and nature of the constituent materials as well as for the planning and testing of conservation methods and materials;

• development of a conservation method using appropriate materials, based on the results of the testing;

• preparation of a manual in English and Khmer describing appropriate methods and materials;

• documentation of the carved surfaces at the site, the naming and numbering of all elements and the preparation of a full risk and priority map for the planning and execution of the conservation program for the carved surfaces.

GHF will, in collaboration with the MCFA, set up a conservation team to carry out research on and emergency conservation of endangered structures while in the long term providing a showcase for conservation of remotely located temples in rural Cambodia, enhancing the knowledge of Khmer culture through research and conservation and contributing to community-based tourism that supports and enhances the local community and environment.

3. Stabilization and Access for the Central Temple Complex

There are numerous monumental structures which will need to be scientifically preserved and stabilized as Banteay Chhmar is a massive temple complex. GHF’s vision is to conserve the site largely as a ruin with low-impact, safe visitor access via suspended cable platforms over the fallen structures, along with selective interventions for high-risk structures, bas reliefs and towers. This unique vision of conserving Banteay Chhmar as a partial ruin will be a radical change from the standard concept of restoration favored in Angkor. Visitors will instead experience a newly uncovered site previously hidden in the jungle for centuries and an accurate interpretation of a site with all its mystery intact and amidst natural features. Interpretations will be critical to the site’s success - Banteay Chhmar’s impressive bas reliefs depicting the local Khmer history of the 12th Century is a doctoral thesis in itself. It is nevertheless planned for the entire site to be developed and for this information to be available through local guides, the visitor center and selected publications. 4. Community Development, Training and Stewardship

The cultural whole of Banteay Chhmar – the monument and the community – was virtually ignored until the 2003 royal decree which granted protection to the site. Conservation of the temple by GHF and MCFA commenced in 2008 providing some local employment; the World Heritage List application is in process and the road network is nearing completion. Current visitor numbers (c.500 per annum) are expected to significantly increase, with the likelihood of overwhelming the community initiatives to retain local ownership of the economic opportunities.


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The Temple of Banteay Chhmar is arguably the third most important temple in the country, from a historic and architectural point of view, due to its face towers and bas reliefs (seen only elsewhere at Angkor Wat and the Bayon). This, added to Banteay Chhmar’s remote rural location, traditional economy and natural beauty, present an exceptional and under-appreciated treasure. By improving the capacity of local tourism providers, facilities and infrastructure of the community, there is a tremendous opportunity to present the splendors of the Khmer civilization in a totally different way to the over-commercialized developments around the Angkor Park. With the gradual improvement of the homestay facilities (e.g. better shower and toilet facilities) and improved capacity among local people in tourism services, it is hoped that the historical and archaeological richness of the area and the flora and fauna surrounding the moat and baray will attract cultural tourists on a greater scale. The conservation of the monument at Banteay Chhmar and the expected community development of cultural tourism activities is a new model for sustainable tourism development in remote rural areas based around a major cultural asset. For the community of Banteay Chhmar the improved road access, the World Heritage listing and the conservation project (direct local employment) will also bring a significant increase in visitor numbers; the community can expect fundamental change, essentially a transition from agriculture to tourism, and with it improved economic opportunities. GHF is supporting Community Based Tourism (CBT) through training of guides and small tourism business owners and workers, especially disadvantaged rural poor people, in:

• Guide Association Management • Homestays and Restaurants • Sanitation and Clean Water

• Market and Village Improvements • Promoting Regional Attractions

Above: Map showing the location of the CBT Office and the homestays.


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Major Threats to Banteay Chhmar

In its present state, the Banteay Chhmar temple complex constitutes a significant danger to visitors who are generally oblivious to the structural instability of the stonework. The temple complex is overgrown with vegetation and many areas are in danger of imminent collapse, while sections of the outer enclosure walls are no longer structurally sound and are in need of urgent temporary support to prevent further collapse. To illustrate this danger, in September 2003 the Southwestern Tower within the second enclosure wall collapsed, causing irreparable damage, and there are several other sections within the temple which would have followed suit had not emergency temporary supports been installed. The majority of the remaining towers are nevertheless in a treacherous state: the roof vaults for the most part have fallen in, and in most cases there is a pile of stones about three meters deep covering the ground within the temple complex, making access well nigh impossible.

Above: A sculpture missing its head, most likely looted for sale on the international illicit antiquities market.


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Priority Conservation Goals In light of this situation, two major areas have been identified for immediate intervention: 1. Structural Assessment

Based on recent field investigations of the Banteay Chhmar complex, it appears that there are a number of locations where structural failure is imminent. At the time of construction, towers were constructed with little or no bonding, which caused them to lose cohesiveness, while shallow or non-existent foundations have resulted in differential settlement, with the result that both of these conditions have caused instability over the centuries. Additionally, fractured lintels and incorrectly bedded stonework, especially columns with undersized girths, are the principle causes for the stonework to collapse. Once a structural element reaches breaking point, it causes collapse, and often the extent of damage will be exponential.

Above: A temple structure partially collapsed and in danger of further destruction through neglect.


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2. The Banteay Chhmar Bas Reliefs

Perhaps the most significant feature of the temple is the extensive carved bas-relief wall located in the outer vaulted gallery which, if put end to end, would stretch nearly one kilometer. Following the temple’s abandonment and the invasion of the sub-tropical jungle, the vaults protecting these bas reliefs and, in most cases, the bas reliefs themselves, have collapsed, with most of the decorated stonework hidden from view. Due to its exposure to heavy monsoons over several centuries and later looting, the sandstone structures and artwork have suffered severe degradation and damage, and there is a presence of heavy salt action in areas that have recently been exposed.

Above: Erosion is one of numerous threats to the carved reliefs and decorative elements of the Banteay Chhmar temple complex.


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Project Objectives – 2012-2013 1. Conservation Plan. Execute a well planned and well coordinated work plan of conservation and repair interventions at Banteay Chhmar. 2. Scientific Analysis. Conduct continued scientific investigations of the Banteay Chhmar complex to develop a conservation management plan that will guide the preservation, presentation and development of the site. Carry out an assessment of structures needing immediate structural support and undertake emergency interventions. 3. Scientific Conservation. Develop a system for consolidation of foundations and for reconstruction (anastylosis) of the bas reliefs starting on the southeast section. This will serve as a prototype for the remaining work (approx. 600m in length). 4. Legal Protection. Provide assistance in the preparation or redrafting of legislation (Kret) to protect the site against destruction and uncontrolled development. Assist the government in the nomination of Banteay Chhmar to the UNESCO World Heritage List. 5. Community Development. Enhance the capacity of the local community to benefit from increased tourism through support and training, specifically supporting local organizations to capture increased revenue which will feed a public fund dedicated to providing capital for sanitation and hygiene projects benefitting the entire community. 6. Partnerships and New Investment. Facilitate and negotiate larger investments into local and regional socio-economic development and cultural preservation by working with regional and national governmental bodies, NGOs and international development organizations. 7. Training. Develop team professionals and technical staff from the MCFA to operate and manage the Conservation Unit. 8. Community Development. Support project manager to lead implementation of GHF funding for Community Based Tourism (CBT). Build CBT capacity through English language instruction and guide training, homestay improvements, CBT office expansion, and marketing and promotion of CBT and Banteay Chhmar.


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Banteay Chhmar Workplan and Budget – 2011-2014

ACTIVITIES 2011

2012

2013

2014 Total Master Planning and Mapping GIS and Mapping Total Station Mapping 3D Monument Surveys Master Plan Drafts Stakeholder Meetings

$40,000 $20,000 $20,000 $10,000

$ 90,000

Conservation and Restoration Training Material Labor Equipment

$120,000 $140,000 $140,000 $80,000 $480,000

Community Development and Enforcement Guide Training English Language Instruction Marketing and Promotion CBT Office Expansion Water Systems Tourism Infrastructure Community Guide and Ranger Training Equipment Rangers

$40,000 $30,000 $30,000 $20,000 $120,000

GHF Project Leadership and Field Support Salaries Travel Office and Equipment

$40,000 $40,000 $40,000

$40,000

$160,000

TOTAL PROJECT EXPENSES $240,000 $230,000 $230,000 $150,000 $850,000


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Above: Local workmen removing fallen stonework in preparation for documentation and conservation.

Above: Excavations underway at Banteay Chhmar.


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Above: The sign erected at the site to acknowledge the partnership of the Cambodian Ministry of Culture and Fine Arts and Global Heritage Fund. GHF Partners in Conservation

GHF’s principal partner in the Banteay Chhmar Conservation Project is the Ministry of Culture and Fine Arts (MCFA), which is responsible for Banteay Chhmar. The MCFA has worked hard to put Banteay Chhmar on the cultural heritage map in Cambodia, and it is for this reason that GHF is a committed partner in their efforts to repair and present Banteay Chhmar as a nominated World Heritage Site. The MCFA has also designated Banteay Chhmar as an endangered site needing urgent attention. Under its present program and budget, the MCFA has a target to develop a conservation management plan and to implement it over a period of 15 years – a timescale dictated by a scarcity of funds and expertise. Acknowledgements

GHF funding in 2010 and 2011 has come from GHF Trustees and Conservation Society in addition to generous foundations and individual donors including Friends of Khmer Culture (FOKCI) and the Cambodian Heritage Fund, comprised of 12 members. Technical partners include the South Asian Conservation and Restoration Agency (SACRA). GHF is especially thankful to the full support received from the Ministry of Culture and Fine Arts, especially Excellencies Chuch Phoeurn, Secretary of State; Ok Sophon, the Director General of the Department of Cultural Heritage, Phnom Penh; and Director Yang Chanta from the Department of Safeguarding Monuments, who monitors the project’s wellbeing.


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About Global Heritage Fund GHF’s mission is to save the earth’s most significant and endangered cultural heritage sites in developing countries and regions through scientific excellence and community involvement. Founded in 2002 by Dr. Ian Hodder of Stanford University Archaeology Center and Jeff Morgan, GHF is the only non-profit international conservancy working exclusively in developing countries, where there are many threatened heritage sites but few financial and technical resources and little expertise to scientifically conserve them. GHF goals include:

• Preserving structures and physical evidence of cultural heritage • Advancing education about, and protection of, endangered heritage sites • Advancing community involvement and benefits from preservation

Our work takes each selected heritage project through a process called Preservation by Design, encompassing master planning, scientific conservation, community involvement and partnerships to provide enduring protection, management and financial support. GHF currently has 12 projects in 10 countries, including China, India, Guatemala, Colombia, Peru and Turkey. While the nature and depth of each of our projects differ, one theme runs throughout: that the monuments, art and architecture of our ancestors can, if respected, bring lasting cultural, social and economic benefits to civil society. GHF’s mission is to help people realize the value of these assets in places where the sites are all too often neglected – or worse. GHF invests in countries and regions that have seen few financial or technical resources for cultural-asset preservation and development. Holistic and effective preservation of cultural resources requires extreme care and planning to make preservation economically viable to local stakeholders. GHF goes beyond heritage conservation: We provide catalytic funding, site planning and technical training for local people to become capable stewards, giving them the opportunity to contribute more easily to their families and communities. GHF’s projects also have benefits that surpass their primary conservation and development objectives; our work holds particular significance because the monuments that we select are rich symbols of national identity and patrimony. For more information on GHF’s conservation work in Cambodia and other GHF Projects, see:

www.globalheritagefund.org

Global Heritage Fund 625 Emerson Street Suite 200

Palo Alto, California 94301 USA Tel: (650) 325-7520 Fax: (650) 325-7511

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Documents

Banteay Chhmar, Cambodia - Global Heritage Fundglobalheritagefund.org/docs/GHFBanteayChhmarProspectus112011.… · ancient Khmer water engineering feeding the temple moat and supplying