PHNOM PENH, Dec. 17 (Xinhua) -- The Smithsonian Institution's National Museum of Asian Art in Washington, D.C., the United States, has approved the return of three treasured Khmer masterpieces to Cambodia, said a press release from Cambodian Ministry of Culture and Fine Arts released on Wednesday.
The repatriation was made after several years of negotiations, the press release said, adding that the artifacts included the 10th century sandstone head of deity of union Harihara, the 10th century sandstone female deity the Goddess Uma, and the late 12th century bronze female divinity Prajnaparamita.
"The return of these sacred sculptures is the result of an extensive provenance investigation, which concluded that the objects were removed from Cambodia during decades of civil war and insecurity that led to widespread looting," the press release said.
"Their return represents a deeply meaningful step toward cultural restoration for the Cambodian people," it added.
"Their homecoming marks a moment of national reflection and healing for a country that has endured decades of conflict and cultural destruction," said Cambodian Minister of Culture and Fine Arts Phoeurng Sackona.
The minister expressed the hope that other organizations will follow the U.S. museum to implement a policy which makes it easier for countries like Cambodia to recover artefacts lost during war. ■
