Posted on Dec 16, 2023
Met museum is returning looted ancient art to Cambodia and Thailand
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https://www.npr.org/2023/12/15/ [login to see] /met-museum-returns-looted-art-cambodia-thailand
The Metropolitan Museum of Art says it will return 16 ancient artifacts back to Cambodia and Thailand. The works, mostly sculptures, had been looted from those countries years ago during decades of civil war and unrest.
Among the works are a large head of Buddha made of stone in the seventh century, and a tenth century sandstone goddess statue from the Koh Ker archaeological site.
Thirteen of the works are being returned to Cambodia in concert with an investigation from the U.S. Attorney's Office of the Southern District of New York and Homeland Security. The Met also independently determined that two other works from the period should be returned to Thailand, and one other work to Cambodia.
The Metropolitan Museum of Art says it will return 16 ancient artifacts back to Cambodia and Thailand. The works, mostly sculptures, had been looted from those countries years ago during decades of civil war and unrest.
Among the works are a large head of Buddha made of stone in the seventh century, and a tenth century sandstone goddess statue from the Koh Ker archaeological site.
Thirteen of the works are being returned to Cambodia in concert with an investigation from the U.S. Attorney's Office of the Southern District of New York and Homeland Security. The Met also independently determined that two other works from the period should be returned to Thailand, and one other work to Cambodia.
Met museum is returning looted ancient art to Cambodia and Thailand
Posted from npr.org
Art
Museums
Cambodia
Thailand
Culture
Posted 12 mo ago
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So. a bunch of 'antiquities' were removed and/or repurposed during the latter half of the 19th and a good portion of the 20th century under the guise of "White Man's Burden" (see R. Kipling's essays on subject matter) Or. "... there's TROUBLE in them der regions... let's remove some stuff to "protect"(I've got a buyer) these pieces of antiquity...".
Fine... I agree that the antiquities should be returned; but; there is no need for the U.S. government to waste money investigating the criminality of the item's removal from their country of origin.
If they, the museums want a "FEEL GOOD ATTABOY" they can publish a letter of apology and pat themselves on the back for their "Humanitarianism" while privately lambasting themselves for giving the items back to their countries of origin. Archeologists know full well the damage that will occur to anything in the way of civil/social upheaval, something politicians should remember and be aware of when deciding any legislation...
Fine... I agree that the antiquities should be returned; but; there is no need for the U.S. government to waste money investigating the criminality of the item's removal from their country of origin.
If they, the museums want a "FEEL GOOD ATTABOY" they can publish a letter of apology and pat themselves on the back for their "Humanitarianism" while privately lambasting themselves for giving the items back to their countries of origin. Archeologists know full well the damage that will occur to anything in the way of civil/social upheaval, something politicians should remember and be aware of when deciding any legislation...
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