The United States has returned two stolen 8th-century Buddhist bronze sculptures to Indonesia during a repatriation ceremony at the Indonesian Consulate. The artifacts had been looted from archaeological sites in Indonesia decades ago before being sold by antiquities dealer Douglas Latchford to an American collector, who voluntarily surrendered them in 2021 along with 32 other Southeast Asian antiquities.
U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of New York Jay Clayton said the return reflects the United States’ commitment to combating the illicit trafficking of cultural heritage. He also thanked the collector for voluntarily relinquishing the artifacts, allowing them to be returned to the Indonesian people.
The two sculptures, depicting Avalokiteshvara and standing approximately 16 and 20 inches tall, were among the items covered in a civil forfeiture case in New York. Authorities said Latchford concealed the artifacts’ illicit origins when selling them between 2003 and 2007. Latchford was indicted in 2019 for operating a long-running scheme involving looted Southeast Asian antiquities, although the case was later dismissed following his death.
Since 2012, the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of New York and Homeland Security Investigations have worked together to recover and repatriate dozens of stolen Cambodian and other Southeast Asian antiquities. U.S. officials said they will continue partnering with international authorities to combat the illegal trade of cultural property and facilitate the return of stolen artifacts to their countries of origin.
Alexander Jason – Redaksi
