Ancient “Lost City” of the Khmer Empire Revealed

Doing the work of an archaeologist is a little like going on a treasure hunt, except with far more research involved than when you went on treasure hunts as a child. Just this month, Cambridge published an article about the uncovering of the “Lost City” of the Khmer Empire in Cambodia, an act that is akin to finding real buried treasure and getting to learn more about an entire society along the way.

You may be more familiar with the temples of Angkor Wat; these are also part of the ancient Khmer Empire, but they are located farther south than the newly excavated city of Mahendraparvata. This new discovery brings archaeologists that much closer to putting together a more complete picture of the people who lived in the region hundreds of years ago.

Every day there are professionals and amateur archaeologists working towards discovering even more about the people who came before us. If this is something that you’re interested in, it’s actually a niche in the travel industry; you get to decide how in depth you want your experience to be.

If you’re intrigued by the idea of walking in the same places that your ancestors did hundreds or thousands of years ago, you can take tours to the sites of Vikings or sail around the Scottish islands. You can observe the Calanais Standing Stones or stand awestruck in the presence of the monoliths on Easter Island in Chile.

If you would prefer to get your hands in the dirt and  actively contribute to ongoing research, there are opportunities for that as well. There are many organizations that seek out volunteers to help with excavating, sampling, and even processing the artifacts that you may find! Some trips take weeks, others may take a few days. Your time commitment is up to you.

Are you interested in unleashing your inner Indiana Jones? Archaeological travel may be something to consider. For more information, feel free to contact me.