A conservation team from the APSARA National Authority has completed the restoration of a rare 11th-century sandstone temple on the Kulen Plateau. During the process of desilting the central chamber, workers discovered a series of hidden sluice gates and stone channels designed to bring water from a nearby sacred spring directly into the main shrine.
The engineering reveals that the temple was used for 'Water-Blessing' ceremonies where water would flow over the central deity before being distributed to the surrounding community. This discovery highlights the sophisticated Khmer hydraulic engineering that integrated spiritual life with the management of agricultural water supplies. The temple is now open to the public for the first time in centuries.