Among the thousands of players of the video game HUMANKIND™, few realize that certain pieces in the soundtrack were performed on an instrument extinct for centuries: the arched Khmer harp. This instrument, known only through its depictions on the bas-reliefs of Angkor, has regained its voice thanks to the work of ethno-archaeomusicologist Patrick Kersalé. His journey exemplifies a dialogue between scientific research, instrumental reconstruction, and contemporary artistic creation.
A harp carved in memory
The arched Khmer harp appears on a few Khmer temples from the 7th to the early 13th century, but no sonic trace has reached us: no preserved instrument, no transmitted musical tradition —only its name mentioned in Angkorian epigraphy and a few “Buddhicized” harp murals in rare Buddhist temples.
Only the bas-reliefs remained, silent witnesses to a vanished art.
By meticulously studying these sculptures, Patrick Kersalé set out to revive the arched Khmer harp, combining insights from archaeology, ethnomusicology, and musical experimentation to restore its shape and timbre.
Giving body back to a vanished form
To recreate the arched harp, Patrick Kersalé first conducted a detailed analysis of the reliefs at Angkor Wat, the Bayon, Banteay Chhmar, and other minor sites, in order to deduce the proportions, string placement, and posture of the female musicians. He then compared these findings with instruments still in use in the region, particularly the Burmese saung gauk, an organological cousin of the ancient Khmer harp. The reconstruction was not merely theoretical. Working with Cambodian artisans, he crafted a fully functional instrument faithful to the arched shape seen in the bas-reliefs, yet adapted for modern musical use. The Sounds of Angkor project now showcases these playable instruments, the result of several years of research and experimentation.
From stone to digital: a harp in HUMANKIND™
History took an unexpected turn when the producers of the video game HUMANKIND™ incorporated Patrick Kersalé’s arched harp into the game’s soundtrack. Several tracks, titled “Khmer Harp (feat. Patrick Kersalé),” were recorded specifically for the project. Thanks to them, millions of players around the world have heard the sound of an instrument that had not resonated for perhaps eight centuries.
This dialogue between heritage and digital creation perfectly illustrates Kersalé’s approach: placing ancient instruments back into a living context, not as frozen objects, but as active participants in contemporary culture.
A rediscovered sonic heritage
The rebirth of the arched Khmer harp is not merely an archaeological gesture. It represents the revitalization of an intangible heritage. By recreating this instrument, Patrick Kersalé restores meaning to a sonic memory, a lost craft, and a musical sensibility unique to ancient Khmer civilization. The reconstructed instrument is not a museum artifact: it is a harp that lives, vibrates, and sings once more. Today, it is played in concerts, recordings, and educational projects, and is an integral part of the cultural transmission efforts led by Sounds of Angkor.
Between rigor and sensitivity
Reconstructing a vanished instrument demands caution: no written source precisely describes the tuning, number of strings, or repertoire of Angkor’s harpists. Every construction and interpretive choice rests on a balance between archaeological clues, ethnographic comparisons, and musical experimentation. This approach, now recognized in the field of Asian archaeomusicology, shows that it is possible to reconcile scientific rigor with artistic intuition in order to revive sounds long believed lost.
When the video game becomes a conservatory of heritage
The integration of Kersalé’s recreated Khmer harp into the HUMANKIND™ soundtrack is both an artistic and ethical decision. The developers did not settle for a synthetic imitation; they chose the authentic sound of the resurrected instrument. Patrick Kersalé himself performed the musical pieces, breathing soul into this historical artifact.
This collaboration is a remarkable example of how the video game medium can contribute to the preservation and dissemination of intangible cultural heritage. It allows millions of players worldwide to hear—perhaps unknowingly—the lost sound of a vanished empire.
Listen to the Khmer Harp in HUMANKIND™ - MUSIC OF THE AGES - Vol. I to IV
All of these pieces were recorded by Arnaud Roy, aka Flybyno, a French composer, orchestrator, and sound designer. Trained in classical music and composition for visual media, he has specialized in creating original soundtracks for video games, film, and audiovisual projects.
For the game HUMANKIND™ (Amplitude Studios, SEGA, 2021), he composed, produced, and recorded a monumental soundtrack: over 250 pieces blending symphonic orchestra, ancient instruments, and traditional sounds from around the world.
Under his musical direction, several artists and ethnomusicologists —including Patrick Kersalé on the arched Khmer harp— contributed to recreating authentic historical and cultural atmospheres. His work on HUMANKIND™ exemplifies his approach: a subtle dialogue between learned music, sonic research, and narrative immersion, all in service of the player’s temporal and emotional journey.
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