Cambodia celebrates ‘historic homecoming’ of centuries-old looted statues

The return to Cambodia of 14 sculptures that had been looted from the country during war and unrest is like welcoming home the souls of ancestors, Cambodia’s culture minister said Thursday. Cambodia’s Ministry of Culture and Fine Arts said the “historic homecoming of national treasures” followed years of negotiations between Cambodia’s art restitution team, U.S. federal prosecutors in New York, investigators from the U.S. Department of Homeland Security and the Met. “These returns contribute to the reconciliation and healing of the Cambodian people, who endured decades of civil war and suffered tremendously from the tragedy of the Khmer Rouge regime,” Phoeurng Sackona said. Cambodia’s Culture Ministry highlighted two works among those returned that are expected to be restored by reuniting them with other parts already in its possession The repatriation includes the “extraordinary” stone sculpture from the 10th century of the female goddess Uma from the ancient royal capital of Koh Ker, it said, adding that the sculpture’s foot had already been retrieved from its original site.