The United States has returned nearly 300 antiquities, dating back thousands of years and stolen from India, to Prime Minister Narendra Modi. The artefacts were handed over in a ceremony attended by both Mr. Modi and President Joe Biden. This gesture is part of India’s ongoing efforts to reclaim its stolen cultural heritage, with the US returning a total of 578 items in recent years.
Among the artefacts returned are a 10th-11th-century sandstone Apsara, a 3rd-4th century terracotta vase, and an anthropomorphic copper figure dating back to 2000-1800 BCE. Many of the items are terracotta works from eastern India, showcasing a variety of materials and artistic styles. The restitution of these cultural properties is governed by a Cultural Property Agreement between India and the US aimed at combating the smuggling of artefacts.
This repatriation follows an investigation led by The Indian Express and the International Consortium of Investigative Journalists, which traced stolen pieces back to the Met Museum in New York. The return of these artefacts highlights the global issue of cultural property trafficking, a problem that has plagued India’s rich cultural history for years.
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