The recent excavations at Ta Prohm Temple have yielded significant archaeological findings, including a Buddha statue that has been partially reconstructed. Conducted by the APSARA National Authority in collaboration with the Archaeological Survey of India (ASI), the second phase of excavations took place in February 2025, focusing on an area outside the laterite enclosure northeast of the temple’s third gallery.

Among the discoveries was a Buddha statue in the Bayon style, which was missing its head, feet, and right hand. The statue is 1.16 meters tall. Notably, it is adorned with jewelry and is wearing a robe and veil, with a unique left hand gesture placed on the chest—an uncommon feature in Khmer art.

Archaeologist Ms. Neth Simon reported that the body of the Buddha statue was registered as N°294. During the excavation, the team identified that this body matched previously excavated pieces: the hand registered as N°292 and the foot registered as N°168, both found during the first phase of excavations in July 2024.

Additionally, the head of the Buddha statue, which was discovered in 1927 and is currently housed at the Angkor Conservation under registration number DCA.6883-N139, was scanned and compared with the newly found body. This comparison allowed for a near-complete reassembly of the statue, with only the right hand still missing.

These excavations aim to organize and preserve the numerous art objects scattered throughout the Ta Prohm complex, highlighting the ongoing efforts to protect and understand Cambodia’s rich cultural heritage.