| Abstract: |
The ancient Angkorian royal capital, Angkor Thom, nowadays overgrown with the forest, is being systematically prospected since 2000. The first stage of this exploratory survey, covering the whole area of the site (9 000 000 m²), is founded on morphologic and pedologic surveys, topographic plans and pinpoint stratigraphic excavations. The urban archaeological method of operation has allowed the discovery of a great number of structures - like roadways, ditches, canals, waterways - the scale, function and regularity of which provide new data of main importance in historical and urban terms. An outline plan of the city in its last state shows the whole set of urban networks brought to light until now. The author lays stress on the urban character of the site and highlights the regularity of its structure. The geometric pattern generated by the discovered urban structures suggests the application of a theoretical model. The author shows the many affinities appearing between the archaeological datas and the instructions provided by the Indian treatises on housing and architecture. Since no plan of an ancient Indian royal capital consistent with the treatises has been really acknowledged till now, the Khmer capital comes out as a utopia in the literal meaning of the word, a utopia realized beyond the seas.
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