Angkor's Copper: The Metal That Shaped a Civilization

In this episode of Fexingo History, Lucas and Luna explore the overlooked role of copper in the Khmer Empire. While iron from Phnom Dek gets the glory, copper was the backbone of Angkor's sacred and everyday life — from the massive bronze statues of Jayavarman VII to the gilded temple roofs that dazzled Chinese envoy Zhou Daguan. We trace the copper trade routes that linked Angkor to the Lao highlands and the Mekong, and examine how the empire controlled this vital resource. We also ask a question that's been hiding in plain sight: why does Angkor's copper production suddenly vanish from the archaeological record in the 14th century? Drawing on the latest research from the Greater Angkor Project and recent finds at Phnom Kulen and Preah Khan, we piece together a story of resource exhaustion, shifting trade networks, and a civilization that, quite literally, ran out of metal. This is the hidden history of the metal that made Angkor shine — and the silence left in its wake. #KhmerEmpire #Angkor #Copper #Bronze #JayavarmanVII #ZhouDaguan #PhnomKulen #PreahKhan #GreaterAngkorProject #SoutheastAsia #Archaeology #Metallurgy #TradeRoutes #Mekong #LaoHighlands #14thCentury #History #FexingoHistory Keep every episode free: buymeacoffee.com/fexingo