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Angkor's Bronze Age: The Lost Foundries of the Khmer
Description
Lucas and Luna explore the lost bronze-casting industry of Angkor. While the sandstone temples survive, the vast foundries that produced bronze sculptures, ritual vessels, and weaponry have almost vanished. The episode traces the supply chain: copper from the Sepon mines in modern Laos, tin from the Malay Peninsula, and the crucible technology that alloyed them. Lucas explains the lost-wax casting method used for masterpieces like the reclining Vishnu at Angkor Wat and the Buddha images of Jayavarman VII. He discusses the discovery of crucible fragments and mold sherds at the Roluos Group and the Royal Palace site, revealing a state-controlled industry that may have collapsed when Theravada Buddhism shifted ritual priorities away from monumental bronze donations. Luna asks whether the bronze shortage contributed to Angkor's decline, and Lucas offers a nuanced answer about resource depletion, changing tastes, and the 15th-century Siamese disruption of trade routes. The episode ends with the mystery of the missing bronze — melted down, looted, or simply lost in the jungle.