Resilience and Relocation: Unravelling the end of Angkor. This project addresses the unresolved issue of Angkor's decline, among the largest pre-industrial cities on Earth, by examining human settleme

Description

Resilience and Relocation: Unravelling the end of Angkor. This project addresses the unresolved issue of Angkor's decline, among the largest pre-industrial cities on Earth, by examining human settlement, landscape management, and resilience to climatic and demographic changes. Employing novel methods in archaeology, geoscience, and history, and building upon twenty-five years of Australian-led research in Cambodia, I will lead a team to interpret Angkor's decline as a distinct socio-cultural event, rather than a simple 'collapse.' The focus is on Srei Santhor, a pivotal site where Angkor's elites sought to ensure food security and maintain political authority amidst an agricultural crisis. Our findings will reveal key insights into societal evolution, modelling long-term socioeconomic trends.. Scheme: ARC Future Fellowships. Field: 4301 - Archaeology. Lead: A/Prof Martin Polkinghorne