SOAS antiquities expert helps return looted artefacts to Cambodia

A repatriation research project led by SOAS's Professor Ashley Thompson has supported the successful return of 14 treasured artefacts to Cambodia from the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York, marking an important watershed in Cambodia’s ongoing campaign for the restitution of looted antiquities. 

The Ministry of Culture and Fine Arts in Cambodia announced the artifacts's arrival last week. Minister of Culture and Fine Arts, H.E. Dr. Phoeurng Sackona, said: 

"This return of our national treasures, held by the MET, is of utmost importance not only for Cambodia, but for all of humankind. We have many more treasures at the MET which we also hope will be returned to Cambodia. We are thrilled that a number of private collectors and museums have reached out to us in recent months, and we expect many more significant returns in the future." 

The return follows negotiations involving Professor Thompson and the Cambodian restitution team, the US Attorney's Office for the Southern District of New York, Homeland Security Investigations, and the MET over a number of years. 

One of the returned pieces, a late 10th or early 11th-century bronze statue of the Bodhisattva Avalokiteshvara, described as "Seated in Royal Ease," is a particularly rare and expertly crafted artefact. This statue was sold to the Met in 1992 by the late Douglas Latchford, who has since been identified as a dealer in stolen antiquities.  

Another important piece returned from the MET is a10th-century bronze head of the deity Avalokiteshvara. It is now reunited with its torso at the National Museum of Cambodia. The head was looted in the 1990s, while the torso had been discovered in a river in Battambang province in the 1930s. 

Professor Thompson said: “There was lots of emotion in Phnom Penh on the unpacking of the transport crates as these are very significant pieces looted during times of war and held for decades now by one of the world’s most prestigious museums. People are profoundly and visibly moved at their sight – as if the return both stirs memories of Cambodia’s traumatic past and affirms her creative potential. Now in the national collections, many Cambodians will be able to see these extraordinary sculptures for the first time.  

People are profoundly and visibly moved at their sight – as if the return both stirs memories of Cambodia’s traumatic past and affirms her creative potential. 

Professor Thompson’s restitution research is supported by SOAS Impact and Knowledge Exchange with funding from Research England. It is part of her ongoing work with the Cambodian restitution, which last year saw another remarkable repatriation - of a vast trove of Cambodia's Angkorian crown jewellery, some dating back to the 7th Century. Professor Thompson also leads a collaborative research project on local Southeast Asian epistemologies underpinning restitution. Called CO-OP, this is a think-tank project funded by the Getty Foundation, which complements the applied research funded by SOAS. 

Professor Thompson’s work highlights the importance of academic involvement in cultural heritage preservation, showcasing the critical role scholars play in international cultural diplomacy. 

Header image credits: Ray Rui via Unsplash.