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The Water Crisis That Killed Angkor
Season 3
Episode 120
Published 1 month, 2 weeks ago
Description
Lucas and Luna dive into the water engineering crisis that doomed the Khmer Empire. Ancient Angkor depended on a massive hydraulic system of barays, canals, and reservoirs. But by the 14th century, deforestation and siltation caused the system to fail. Lucas explains how the collapse of the water network led to rice shortages, economic decline, and political instability, making Angkor vulnerable to Ayutthayan attacks. He traces the role of the West Baray, the Siem Reap River, and the Tonle Sap flood pulse, and reveals new evidence from the Greater Angkor Project about the city's fatal water mismanagement. This episode offers a fresh angle on Angkor's fall, focusing on ecological factors rather than military conquest.