[ Ndtv World ] US Returns Ancient ‘Shiva Triad’, Other Stolen Artefacts To Cambodia

**New York prosecutors** recently **returned 30 antiquities** to **Cambodia** and **Indonesia**. These artifacts had been **looted, sold, or illegally transferred** by networks of American dealers and traffickers. The total value of these antiquities is estimated at **$3 million**. In two repatriation ceremonies, **27 pieces** were returned to **Phnom Penh, Cambodia**, and **3 pieces** to **Jakarta, Indonesia**.

Among the notable items were:
– A **bronze statue of the Hindu deity Shiva** (known as the “Shiva Triad”), which was looted from Cambodia.
– A **stone bas-relief** depicting **two royal figures** from the **Majapahit empire** (13th-16th century), stolen from Indonesia.

The art dealers **Subhash Kapoor** (an Indian-American) and **Nancy Wiener** (an American) were accused of **illegally trafficking** these antiquities. Kapoor, who ran a network trafficking stolen items from Southeast Asia, was arrested in Germany in 2011 and later sentenced to **13 years in prison** in India. Wiener, sentenced in 2021 for trafficking in stolen art, eventually donated the bronze Shiva piece to the **Denver Museum of Art** in 2007.

The **Antiquities Trafficking Unit**, led by **Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg**, has successfully recovered nearly **1,200 stolen items** from over **25 countries**, valued at more than **$250 million**. New York remains a significant hub for art trafficking, with seizures occurring in museums and from collectors, including the prestigious **Metropolitan Museum of Art**.
Source: Conversation with Bing
https://www.ndtv.com/world-news/us-returns-ancient-shiva-triad-other-stolen-artefacts-to-cambodia-5533733