via Phnom Penh Post, 06 January 2021: Middle Ages here refers to the 15th century, and the article implies that Buddhism officially became the state religion in 1441. However, Buddhism appears in Cambodia earlier, Theravada Buddhism entered Mainland Southeast Asia around the 12th century, and there is evidence of Buddhist religious practice even during the pre-Angkorian period.
The Ministry of Culture and Fine Arts plans to make Pursat province the first to host a museum exhibition displaying Cambodian antiquities.
For the exhibition in Pursat, specifically, the items on display will be Buddhist antiquities dating to the Middle Ages, collected from locations across Cambodia.
Provincial culture department director Lach Phengly said historians and archaeologists from the provincial museums were now collecting a variety of antiquities to display, such as Buddhist stone and wooden sculptures along with other objects of cultural or historical importance from various sites across the province.
“Currently, Pursat province alone has a collection of over 700 lintels, sandstones, Buddhist statues and other items from the Middle Ages, the Angkorean and pre-Angkorean periods.
Source: Artefacts to be displayed in Pursat museum | Phnom Penh Post
