The temples of Angkor were built between the 7th and 11th centuries during the peak of an incredible creative and technological realisation of the Cambodian people. The leaders of the Khmer empire ruled over a massive area of territory which extended itself over Laos , Thailand , Vietnam and Cambodia .

Over time, the ruins were all but swallowed up by dense jungle. The myth of an ancient civilization lost to nature became popular, but in fact, Angkor was never lost as such, rather it became less and less accessible. It was still known locally as a place of pilgrimage and remained a vague memory in the minds of European missionaries. It is claimed that the last Kingdom was re-discovered by French naturalist Henri Mouhot in January 1860.

Whether or not the Kingdom was ever lost is a matter of much debate, what is not in question is the excitement created from the posthumous publishing of Mouhot's journals and the enormous Western interest that was triggered in what has become Asia 's single most remarkable archaeological site.