Piphal Heng specializes in the archaeology of Southeast Asia, with research interests in
political economy, urbanism, and heritage. The region is renowned for its rich hominin
evolutionary remains, its premodern kingdoms—especially the Angkorian Empire—and
its long-standing role as a crossroads connecting the East and the West. Dr. Heng’s
archaeological research centers on Cambodia, where he investigates the emergence
and transformation of Angkorian states. His work traces Angkor’s protohistoric
foundations, spatial expansion, and the organizational and ideological shifts that
accompanied the transition from Hinduism and Mahayana Buddhism to Theravada
Buddhism during the late Angkorian and post-Angkorian periods (ca. 14th–18th
centuries).
Drawing on archaeological evidence from the last 3,000 years in the Lower Mekong
basin, Dr. Heng has led and co-led numerous field projects and training initiatives in
Cambodia through close collaboration with Cambodian institutions and international
academic partners. Committed to international collaboration, training, capacity building,
and community engagement, his research also addresses the role and visibility of
Cambodian scholars in shaping archaeological knowledge. His current initiative, Phum
Archaeology, integrates remote sensing (including LiDAR), geophysical prospection,
surface surveys, and excavation to investigate settlement patterns, urban development,
landscape use, and temple economies in northwestern and southern Cambodia.