PHNOM PENH, April 7 (Xinhua) -- Twenty looted Cambodian cultural objects have been repatriated from one of Asia's private collections, said a press release from the Ministry of Culture and Fine Arts on Tuesday.
The returned collection features a diverse array of sandstone sculptures and bronze works made between the 11th and 13th centuries.
"The highlights include exceptional statues from the Bayon period, believed to originate from the historic site of Angkor Thom," the press release said.
"These artifacts are more than art, they are 'living witnesses' to the spiritual heart of Khmer civilization and the genius of its ancestors," it added.
The press release said this restitution marked another important milestone in Cambodia's ongoing mission to reclaim and restore its ancestral heritage for future generations.
According to the press release, these cultural properties were looted from Cambodia during times of conflict decades ago. ■
