My Son, Vietnam
Last Vestiges of the Champa Kingdom
Detrioration of the temples from general decay and vegetation overgrowth over time.
My Son’s major threats include unrepaired damage from the Vietnam War, illegal looting, deterioration from exposure, overall decay, and vegetation overgrowth. Annual flooding during the rainy seasons has accelerated the deterioration at the site. The region’s poverty and the poor economic situation has left My Son neglected over the past hundred years. As noted by the Institute for South-East Asian Studies, My Son represents the cultural, artistic, and historical heritage of Champa. This richness can be attributed to over 1000 years of continuous worshipping, building, and maintenance.
Seventy (70) impressively carved towers and temples were constructed at My Son Sanctuary between the 4th through the 15th centuries. A mere twenty (20) of these temples remain after the extensive damage caused during the Vietnam War. Adverse impacts of natural calamities, landmines and limited understanding of the Cham culture have hindered conservation activities at My Son Sanctuary. My Son Sanctuary is in urgent need of support for conservation and stabilization as critical structures and monuments are collapsing.
Though most of the intricate stucco sculptures and building interiors and exteriors have been lost in the course of centuries, most temples still show elaborate carved brickwork. Long exposure to atmospheric conditions has caused splits that have given plants the opportunity to establish strong root systems which must be carefully removed. These roots are producing deep cracks and often the collapse of complete walls. Mosses and lichens have set upon the decorations in stone, provoking erosion of the figurative parts.
My Son’s endangered temples are in critical need of conservation and stabilization to save the last remnants of this once great sanctuary. There is a strong need for training and support to bring Vietnamese conservation and heritage management teams up to world-class standards.
