Like the many thousands of visitors to the ancient Angkor Wat complex in Cambodia, Dougald O’Reilly was overcome with awe the first time he saw it.
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But unlike most of his fellow visitors, he is an ANU archaeologist who has excavated beneath the ancient temple structure, and has an enduring interest in the complex iconography incorporated in the mystical buildings.
Knowing that most cultural experiences - from art shows to safaris - are enhanced by having the right guide, Dr O’Reilly has just released a new app that acts as a virtual tour guide for the many visitors to Angkor Wat.
“Angkor is one of the wonders of the ancient world, it’s a very large site with literally hundreds of Hindu and Buddhist monuments,” Dr O’Reilly said.
“They are massive structures that are really awe inspiring, it’s one of the world’s biggest tourist attractions visited by more than two million visitors each year now.”
The app, a modified version of an iBook he released several years ago, incorporates history, maps and up-to-date archaeological information about the ruins, as well as guides on how to treat the ruins and ensure the site is preserved.
“It's about getting good, solid accurate information,” he said.
“There's the most recent archaelogical information there - I've excavated within Angkor Wat, and I've incorporated the findings of that, because there's actually a temple beneath the ground there that predates by some time the temple in Angkor Wat itself.”
He and his team have used lidar technology, a system that uses the light from a laser to effectively “strip away” the forest foliage and reveals what's underneath.
The app is narrated by noted Southeast Asia scholar Charles Higham.
“He has a great voice, certainly a lot better than mine,” Dr O’Reilly said.
He said he had long been driven by a need to educate others about the importance of preserving heritage.
Dr O'Reilly spent seven years researching in Cambodia, and founded NGO Heritage Watch 15 years ago, in response to the looting of archaeological sites there.
“Right now we're running one program called Heritage for Kids, doing training on anti-looting and environmental protection,” he said.
Based in Canberra for the past seven years, Dr O’Reilly’s current research is on the enigmatic Plain of the Jars in central Laos.
In collaboration with Lao government archaeologists, and using virtual reality technology, he and his team have been able to confirm that the Plain of Jars was once a burial site, after unearthing human remains thought to be 2500 years old.
The new app, released in late July, builds on the success of the original iBook, An Interactive Guide to Angkor, which recently won the Pacific Asia Travel Association’s Gold Award for Best Travel Guide of 2018.
The app, can be found by searching "Angkor Audio Tour" in the Apple store or Google Play store.
The iBook, An Interactive Guide to Angkor, is available from iTunes.
