22-8-2024 (PHNOM PENH) Cambodia celebrated the homecoming of 70 invaluable Buddhist and Hindu statues, marking another successful chapter in the country’s ongoing efforts to reclaim its stolen antiquities.
The repatriation ceremony, presided over by Prime Minister Hun Manet, showcased an impressive array of Khmer objects, including stone statues of mythical warriors from the Hindu epic Mahabharata, as well as deities Shiva and Uma. A particularly striking piece among the returned artefacts was a bronze head, testament to the exquisite craftsmanship of ancient Khmer artisans.
Speaking at the event, Prime Minister Hun Manet underscored the significance of the occasion, stating, “These reclaimed artefacts are priceless treasures of our national cultural heritage. They rightfully belong to the Cambodian people, the true inheritors of this legacy.”
The return of these artefacts is the culmination of years of diligent work and cooperation between Cambodian authorities and US officials. It represents a part of a broader initiative to secure the return of hundreds of precious cultural items that were illicitly exported during Cambodia’s tumultuous past.
Culture and Fine Arts Minister Phoeurng Sackona highlighted the substantial progress made in recent years, noting that a significant portion of Cambodia’s cultural patrimony has been repatriated over the past half-decade. This achievement has been realised through a combination of diplomatic negotiations, legal proceedings, and voluntary returns from collectors and institutions.
The looting of Cambodia’s cultural treasures can be traced back to the country’s darkest period, when civil wars and the genocidal regime of the Khmer Rouge in the 1970s created a perfect storm for cultural pillaging. Thousands of antiques were smuggled out of the country, finding their way to wealthy collectors and museums in Europe and the United States via dealers in Thailand and Hong Kong.
A key figure in this illicit trade was the late British antiquities trafficker Douglas Latchford, who passed away in 2020 while awaiting trial in the United States on charges of art trafficking. In a turn of events, Latchford’s family has since cooperated with authorities to facilitate the return of numerous Khmer antiquities, contributing to the ongoing process of cultural restitution.
