2 Khmer antiquities returned to Cambodia from US museum

Cambodia’s Ministry of Culture and Fine Arts said Thursday that two looted Khmer antiquities were returned to the country from the US.

The artefacts, which had been held by the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York City, were seized by the Manhattan District Attorney’s Office, according to the Phnom Penh Post.

The artefacts have been linked to the trafficking network of antiquities dealer Nancy Wiener.

A handover ceremony for the two artefacts was held at the Manhattan District Attorney’s Office on Wednesday.

The items include a sandstone lintel depicting Rahu from the pre-Angkorian period, believed to originate from the 7th or 8th century CE, and a sandstone sculpture representing the demon Hiranyakashipu from the Angkorian period in the 10th century.

The Metropolitan Museum returned 14 Khmer antiquities to Cambodia in December 2023 following years of negotiations.