UNESCO, government to train Bagan masons
The masons tasked with rebuilding hundreds of crumbling pagodas in Bagan will receive training from the UN Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization and the Bagan Department of Archaeology, National Museum and Library later this month, department director U Aung Aung Kyaw told The Myanmar Times.`A 6.8-magnitude earthquake near Bagan in August damaged hundreds of pagodas, while others were already crumbling, or poorly renovated, before the quake. In all, there are 389 pagodas in need of repair, U Aung Aung Kyaw said, and the masons’ training will focus on restoration works that will not unnecessarily impact the historical structures, most of which date back centuries. “The masons already understand construction so we only need to explain our concept, policy and thinking about the renovation of these heritage sites,” U Aung Aung Kyaw said. “The renovation work will start in January 2017, which is not very far off.”
