Cambodia is one of the oldest countries in Southeast Asia with a long and storied history. It was once the most powerful nation in the region during the Angkor Empire (the 9th and 15th centuries), encompassing extensive territory. As an ancient nation, Cambodia has a rich and beautiful culture inherited by its brilliant forebears. There are numerous elements of Cambodian culture both marital and non-marital culture including traditions, language, art, architecture, literature, food, beliefs, and many more. These precious national treasures have raised Cambodia into a culturally resplendent country, proudly acknowledged by the world and giving the country many benefits upon the nation today.
Furthermore, some Cambodian cultural treasures hold exceptional universal value to humanity and are inscribed into the World Heritage list by UNESCO. These marvellous achievements have contributed toestablishing Cambodia’s reputation and uplifting it to the international stage. Now, we will delve into 13 notable Cambodian cultural assets that are recognized by UNESCO as world heritage, encompassing both tangible and intangible.
There are 13 Cambodian cultural assets inscribed in the World Heritage List by UNESCO.
4 Cambodian tangible heritage sites:
- Angkor Archaeological Park: was inscribed into the World Heritage List in Danger on December 14, 1992, during the 16th Session of the UNESCO World Heritage Committee in Santa Fe, USA. The nominations included Angkor Wat Temple, Bayon Temple, Ta Prohm, Banteay Srei, and Preah Khan. This decision was a response to an appeal made by the late King Norodom Sihanouk of Cambodia in 1991 to safeguard the Angkor archaeological site. However, it was subsequently removed from the World Heritage List in Danger in 2004 through significant conservation efforts and progress by the APSARA National Authority and Ministry of Culture and Fine Arts, monitored by the ICC-Angkor. So, after that, it transitioned to being listed on the World Heritage List and continues to be acknowledged as a site of exceptional universal value. Want to explore more, please check for the Removal of Angkor Archaeological Park from the World Heritage List in Danger in 2004.
From: Hidden Architecture
- Preah Vihear Temple: was inscribed into the World Heritage List in Danger on July 07, 2008, during the 32nd session of the World Heritage Committee held in Quebec, Canada. The nomination included only the actual buildings and their immediate surroundings, but not the whole area of this sacred site which is much larger and extends into Thailand.
From: Preah Vihear Administration
- Temple Zone of Sambor Prei Kuk, Archaeological Site of Ancient Ishanapura: was inscribed into the World Heritage List on July 08, 2017, during the 41st session of the World Heritage Committee held in Kraków, Poland. The Temple Zone of Sambor Prei Kuk, situated in Cambodia’s Kampong Thom Province, is an archaeological site that served as the capital of the Chenla Empire during the prosperous period of the late 6th and early 7th centuries AD.
From: Trip Advisor
- Koh Ker, Archaeological Site of Ancient Lingapura or Chok Gargyar: was inscribed into the World Heritage List on September 17, 2023, during the 45th session of the World Heritage Committee held in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. This archaeological site, also known as Lingapura or Chok Gargyar, boasts a collection of temples, sanctuaries, sculptures, inscriptions, and even wall paintings spread over a vast area of 1,187 hectares.
From: Preah Vihear Administration
6 Cambodian tangible heritage sites:
- Royal Ballet of Cambodia (Khmer Classical Dance): was inscribed on the Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity on November 07, 2003, during the session of the Committee held in İstanbul, Turkey.
- Sbek Thom, Khmer Shadow Theatre: was inscribed on the Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity on November 25, 2005, during the session of the Committee held in Paris, France.
From: Tralong Borin
- Tugging rituals and games: was inscribed on the Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity on December 02, 2015, during the 10th session of the Intergovernmental Committee for the Safeguarding of the Intangible Cultural Heritage held in Winnipeg, Namibia.
- Chapei Dang Veng: was inscribed on the List of Intangible Cultural Heritage in Need of Urgent Safeguarding on November 30, 2016, during the 11th session of the Intergovernmental Committee for the Safeguarding of the Intangible Cultural Heritage held in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia.
- Lkhon Khol Wat Svay Andet: was inscribed on the List of Intangible Cultural Heritage in Need of Urgent Safeguarding on November 28, 2018, during the 13th session of the Intergovernmental Committee for the Safeguarding of the Intangible Cultural Heritage held in Port Louis, Republic of Mauritius.
- Kun Lbokator: was inscribed on the Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity on November 29, 2022, during the 17th session of the Intergovernmental Committee for the Safeguarding of the Intangible Cultural Heritage held in Rabat, Morocco.
From: Ministry of Information
Sources:
[1] Angkor. (n.d.). UNESCO World Heritage Centre. https://whc.unesco.org/en/list/668/
[2] Temple Zone of Sambor Prei Kuk, Archaeological Site of Ancient Ishanapura. (n.d.). UNESCO World Heritage Centre. https://whc.unesco.org/en/list/1532/#:~:text=Sambor%20Prei%20Kuk%20Temple%20Zone,for%20those%20of%20the%20later
[3] Cambodia – UNESCO World Heritage Convention. (n.d.). https://whc.unesco.org/en/statesparties/kh
[4] Koh Ker: Archaeological Site of Ancient Lingapura or Chok Gargyar. (n.d.). https://whc.unesco.org/en/list/1667/
[5] UNESCO – Royal ballet of Cambodia. (n.d.). https://ich.unesco.org/en/RL/royal-ballet-of-cambodia-00060
[6] UNESCO – Tugging rituals and games. (n.d.). https://ich.unesco.org/en/RL/tugging-rituals-and-games-01080
[7] UNESCO – Chapei Dang Veng. (n.d.). https://ich.unesco.org/en/USL/chapei-dang-veng-01165
[8] UNESCO – Lkhon Khol Wat Svay Andet. (n.d.). https://ich.unesco.org/en/USL/lkhon-khol-wat-svay-andet-01374
[9] UNESCO – Kun Lbokator, traditional martial arts in Cambodia. (n.d.). https://ich.unesco.org/en/RL/kun-lbokator-traditional-martial-arts-in-cambodia-01868
