Metropolitan Museum returns stolen art to Cambodia, Thailand

_{Two artworks out of the 16 at New York's Metropolitan Museum of Art will be returned to Cambodia and Thailand. (Image: Metropolitan Museum of Art via AP)}

New York's Metropolitan Museum of Art announced the repatriation of over a dozen ancient artworks to Cambodia and Thailand. The decision follows connections to art dealer Douglas Latchford, indicted in 2019 for an alleged antiquities trafficking network in Southeast Asia. Fourteen Khmer sculptures will be returned to Cambodia, and two to Thailand. The museum initially cooperated with authorities on the return of 13 sculptures before identifying three more tied to Latchford. The repatriated pieces, spanning the ninth to 14th centuries, showcase Hindu and Buddhist religious themes. The move aligns with a broader trend of addressing looted items in museum collections from colonial periods.

The repatriation stems from the investigation into Douglas Latchford, who, despite denying smuggling involvement, faced charges for orchestrating a scheme to sell looted Cambodian antiquities. The museum's collaboration with the U.S. attorney’s office and Homeland Security Investigations led to the return of 13 sculptures initially, with three more identified later.

Acting Special Agent in Charge Erin Keegan highlighted the museum's recognition of the significance of the repatriated Khmer artifacts. The Metropolitan Museum of Art had previously repatriated two objects linked to Latchford in 2013.

The returned artworks, crafted between the ninth and 14th centuries, reflect the dominant Hindu and Buddhist religious systems of that era. Notable pieces include the bronze sculpture "The Bodhisattva Avalokiteshvara Seated in Royal Ease" from the late 10th to early 11th century and the stone sculpture "Head of Buddha" from the seventh century. While arrangements are made for their return, these pieces can still be viewed in the museum's galleries.