The Metropolitan Museum of Art Will Repatriate 16 Khmer Sculptures to Cambodia and Thailand.

The Metropolitan Museum of Art has announced that it will repatriate 16 Khmer sculptures to Cambodia and Thailand. These sculptures, which were linked to dealer Douglass Latchford, will be returned as a result of new information obtained through a cooperative relationship between the museum, the U.S. Attorney's Office, and Cambodian officials. The repatriated artworks date back to the 19th and 14th centuries and reflect the Hindu and Buddhist religious systems of the Angkorian period. The Met is also reviewing its collection of Khmer art and will exchange information with officials in Cambodia and Thailand. This repatriation sets an example for other U.S. museums and galleries with stolen cultural property, and the Met has announced additional initiatives to review its collection and support public discourse on the topic. The cooperation between the Met, Cambodia, and Thailand is seen as a model for ethical collecting practices and strengthens cultural respect and collaboration between the countries. The U.S. Attorney's Office commended the Met for its cooperation and urged cultural institutions to be vigilant in the illegal trade of stolen antiquities. The agreement between the U.S. Attorney and the Met ensures continued cooperation and exempts the Met from criminal prosecution or civil actions related to its antiquities from Cambodia. [Extracted from the article]