Villagers Dig for Treasure as Gold Fever Hits Takeo Province
a gold rush came to Angkor Borei district over the weekend, with dozens of villagers trying their hand at treasure hunting after word got out that there was gold to be found in the soil of a newly dug road in Prek Phtorl commune. The area is knows for its rich history, and gold artifacts have been discovered here in the past. ... Although local media reports said a solid-gold statue of an ox and two large pieces of gold in the shape of cattle horns had been unearthed at the site of the new road, locals denied all knowledge of the artifacts. ... A royal palace used to stand in the comm;une in the 6th and 7th centuries, and there are still some remnants of pays past buried in the ground or in the riverbeds, according to Prak Bon, director of the provincial culture department. ... "We've told local authorities to stop people digging, and we've organized seminars for students and villagers to learn the value of national culture," he added. ...
