Looted Cambodian Masterpieces Return Home
Repatriation Includes One of the "Ten Most Wanted Antiquities"
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On March 17, the Kingdom of Cambodia celebrated the return of hundreds of looted antiquities at a ceremony attended by Prime Minister Hun Sen.
The pieces included stone, bronze, and gold antiquities, repatriated primarily from the United States and the United Kingdom.
See Photos from the Ceremony
Prime Minister Hun Sen noted and thanked the United States for its cooperation and efforts to return looted heritage back to Cambodia, echoing his remarks to President Biden at the U.S.-ASEAN Summit Last year.
Learn More About How ASEAN is Advancing a Regional Initiative to Combat the Illicit Trade in Cultural Property
Cambodia and the United States, where the Antiquities Coalition is based, have worked effectively together for decades to preserve and protect cultural heritage. Over the last ten years, U.S. authorities have partnered with their Cambodian counterparts on a number of criminal investigations and prosecutions, resulting in tens of millions of dollars worth of repatriations to the kingdom. These include one of the world’s “Ten Most Wanted Antiquities,” a monumental sandstone sculpture of the elephant-headed god Ganesha, which was repatriated to Cambodia in August along with 29 other masterpieces, and returned home at today's ceremony.
Despite Cambodia's successes in recovering its looted and stolen heritage, many artifacts are still missing. Last September, the Antiquities Coalition added another Cambodian statue, Uma, the consort of Shiva, to the Ten Most Wanted List. Uma was looted from Khmer-Rouge territory and then laundered onto the global art market by the notorious trafficker Douglas Latchford. Following the successful efforts by Cambodia to locate and return its cultural treasures, including the Ganesha, there is hope that artifacts like Uma will also be returned.
“We’re ecstatic that the Ganesha, one of the Ten Most Wanted Antiquities, is returning to its rightful home, but numerous artifacts remain missing,” said Deborah Lehr, Chair and Founder of the Antiquities Coalition. “Our updated campaign introduces a new Cambodian masterpiece and encourages the public to help us return this heritage. We look forward to continuing to raise awareness of cultural racketeering and collaborating with governments, advocates, and responsible leaders in the art market to combat looting.” —AC Chairman and Founder Deborah Lehr
Learn More About the Ten Most Wanted Antiquities
Dynamite Doug Podcast Exposes Douglas Latchford as Treasures Return Home
Cambodia’s rich cultural heritage was ravaged during years of Civil War and sold into the illicit antiquities market by numerous smugglers. However, one stands out among the rest for his severe crimes against the nation’s history: Douglas Latchford.
For more than 40 years, Latchford was the world’s foremost dealer of Cambodian antiquities, even allowing some to end up in prestigious institutions like the Metropolitan Museum of Art (Met) in New York and the British Museum. The Antiquities Coalition worked extensively alongside the Pandora Papers investigation in exposing Latchford’s dark legacy on a global scale in 2021.
On March 1, Project Brazen launched Dynamite Doug, a new podcast series diving into how Latchford carried out the greatest art heist in history – the looting of Cambodia’s entire cultural heritage. The six episodes were informed by Latchford’s emails, secret audio recordings and over 30 interviews to serve as the most explosive account yet of his actions.
Watch the Launch Event
Hosted by actor Ellen Wong, the series features cultural heritage experts including Tess Davis, Executive Director of the Antiquities Coalition, in conversations on how Latchford got away with destroying Cambodia’s heritage for his own gain.
Cambodian dancer Sophiline Cheam Shapiro staged a protest in the Met to accompany the podcast launch, spotlighting the nation’s attempts to reclaim its heritage as she danced alongside statues looted by Latchford and on display.
Watch the Protest
Learn About the Podcast and Listen Weekly
