The return of 14 sculptures looted from Cambodia back to the country from the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York is being hailed as a homecoming of ancestors’ souls by the Cambodian Culture Minister. The artifacts, made between the 9th and 14th centuries, reflect Hindu and Buddhist religious systems prevalent during the Angkorian period. The repatriation follows years of negotiations involving Cambodia’s art restitution team, U.S. federal prosecutors, investigators from the U.S. Department of Homeland Security, and the Met.
The return of the artworks is seen as crucial in recalling the heritage of Cambodian ancestors and bringing peace and stability to the country. Cambodia hopes to receive 50 additional artifacts from the U.S. in the future. The return of these sculptures is considered a positive partnership between Cambodia and the United States, contributing to the healing of the Cambodian people who suffered during the Khmer Rouge regime.
Buddhist monks performed blessings and threw flowers during a welcoming ceremony for the trafficked artifacts. The repatriation of the sculptures is part of a broader reckoning in the art world over treasures taken from their homelands, including pieces lost or stolen during times of turmoil in various countries. The pieces returned to Cambodia were looted during a period of civil war and instability, and were trafficked by art dealer Douglas Latchford. Two significant works are expected to be restored by reuniting them with other parts already in Cambodia’s possession, including a stone sculpture of the goddess Uma and a bronze head of the deity Avalokiteshvara.
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