Historic Repatriation: Cambodia Reclaims Looted Artifacts

July 4, 2024, Phnom Penh, Cambodia — The return of 14 sculptures to Cambodia this week marks a profoundly symbolic moment akin to welcoming home the souls of ancestors, expressed Cambodia’s Culture Minister on Thursday.

Arriving from New York’s Metropolitan Museum of Art, these artifacts were unveiled to journalists and VIPs at Phnom Penh's National Museum on Thursday, showcasing artworks crafted between the 9th and 14th centuries during Cambodia’s Angkorian period, reflecting the Hindu and Buddhist religious practices prevalent at that time.

Cambodia’s Ministry of Culture and Fine Arts lauded the repatriation as a “historic homecoming of national treasures,” achieved after years of meticulous negotiations involving Cambodia’s art restitution team, U.S. federal prosecutors in New York, investigators from the U.S. Department of Homeland Security, and representatives from the Met.

Minister Phoeurng Sackona underscored the profound significance of these artifacts’ return to the Cambodian people, linking them to the rich heritage of ancestors who navigated both prosperous and tumultuous eras.

“For many years, these pieces resided abroad, but today they have returned to Cambodia, blessing our people with a profound sense of peace and stability,” she remarked.

To Cambodians, these artworks carry not only immense historical and cultural value but also embody the enduring spirits of their forebears, enriching their understanding and appreciation of their cultural legacy.

Looking forward, Cambodia aims to retrieve an additional 50 artifacts currently held in the U.S., including those still at the Met and in private collections, as part of ongoing efforts to reclaim its cultural heritage.

“These returns significantly contribute to the reconciliation and healing of the Cambodian people, who have endured decades of civil unrest and the tragic legacy of the Khmer Rouge regime,” affirmed Phoeurng Sackona. “They also underscore the positive partnership we have forged with the United States.”

In a ceremony graced by Buddhist monks, blessings and floral tributes marked the repatriation of these artifacts, symbolizing a spiritual homecoming for these long-lost treasures. This event resonates not only within Cambodia but also globally, amidst a broader movement towards the restitution of cultural and archaeological artifacts, akin to efforts seen in Syria, Iraq, and post-Nazi Europe.

Originally looted during Cambodia’s civil war and the oppressive Khmer Rouge regime in the 1970s, these artifacts were trafficked by Douglas Latchford, a prominent art dealer indicted in 2019 for his alleged involvement in an illicit scheme to sell looted Cambodian antiquities. Latchford, who passed away the following year, consistently denied any complicity in smuggling activities.

Among the notable artifacts highlighted by Cambodia’s Culture Ministry are significant pieces slated for restoration, including a 10th-century stone sculpture of the goddess Uma from Koh Ker and a bronze head of the deity Avalokiteshvara from the same era, set to reunite with its matching torso already on display at the National Museum of Cambodia.

“At long last, the Uma sculpture will be restored to its full splendor, reunited with its recovered foot from its original site,” the ministry emphasized, highlighting the historical and artistic significance of these reunifications.

The return of these artifacts not only enriches Cambodia’s cultural landscape but also reinforces global efforts to preserve and restore heritage dispersed through illicit trafficking, reflecting a steadfast commitment to justice and historical integrity on an international scale.