Angkor's Water Crisis: The Canals That Doomed the Khmer Empire

In episode 69, Lucas and Luna examine the hydraulic infrastructure of Angkor—the vast system of canals, reservoirs, and embankments that sustained the Khmer civilization for centuries. Drawing on recent lidar surveys and archaeological studies led by the Greater Angkor Project, they discuss how the city's water management network became a liability during prolonged droughts and intense monsoons. The conversation covers the geological vulnerability of the sandstone and laterite channels, the silting of the West Baray, and the political failure to adapt. Hosts also explore the paradox of Angkor's success: the same canals that enabled rice surpluses and trade eventually trapped the city in an inflexible system. New findings from 2024 sediment cores are referenced, offering fresh evidence for the collapse timeline. This episode builds on earlier discussions of climate refugees and water contamination but focuses specifically on the engineering and maintenance challenges of the hydraulic system itself. #Angkor #KhmerEmpire #HydraulicEngineering #GreaterAngkorProject #LidarArchaeology #TonleSap #WestBaray #JayavarmanVII #SuryavarmanII #ClimateCollapse #AncientWaterManagement #CambodiaHistory #SoutheastAsia #Archaeology #FexingoHistory #History #AncientInfrastructure #EmpireCollapse Keep every episode free: buymeacoffee.com/fexingo