Surface Research and Archaeological Excavation: A Foundation for Analyzing and Identifying Ancient Human Settlements

The Preah Vihear National Authority has stated that mainstreaming knowledge of settlement research and archaeological excavation among students is vital. Utilizing surface research methods—specifically the study of ceramic fragments—and archaeological excavation is essential for analyzing and identifying ancient human settlements and royal capitals.

Speaking at a training workshop on archaeological research and excavation methods held at the Preah Vihear National Authority headquarters from April 20 to 29, 2026, H.E. Khou Eanghuot, Deputy Director General of the Preah Vihear National Authority for the Koh Ker Temple Site, remarked that this training for 10 students from the Faculty of Archaeology and the Faculty of Architecture and Urbanism of the Royal University of Fine Arts would provide valuable knowledge and experience. He added that students learned to work as a team and gained crucial technical skills, such as:

• Classifying and analyzing the age of ceramics.
• Analyzing soil stratigraphy within excavation pits.
• Reporting on analysis and research results.

H.E. Phin Samnang, Director of the Department of Research, Training, and Documentation, gave a brief presentation on the history and significance of the Koh Ker site, explaining the impact of war-related damage to heritage. This helped students better understand heritage values and the importance of participating in the protection and conservation of national assets. Simultaneously, Mr. Tho Thon, Deputy Director of the Department, and technical officers led the students in practical exercises, including:

• Surface research and archaeological excavation techniques.
• Operating Total Station and Leveling instruments.
• Mapping excavation sites.
• Cleaning, classifying, and dating pottery fragments.
• Data entry using Excel and ArcGIS-Pro.

According to the report from the Department of Research, Training, and Documentation, from 2025 to 2026, the Preah Vihear National Authority has trained a total of 20 students from the Royal University of Fine Arts on research methods for ancient settlements and archaeological excavation at the Koh Ker Temple site.