The 680kg antiquities had been stolen and exported from Thailand roughly a half-century ago and donated to the city of San Francisco, authorities said. Two stolen hand-carved religious artefacts, sandstone lintels dating back to the 9th and 10th centuries, were returned to the Thai government on Tuesday in a ceremony more than 50 years overdue. They had been exhibited at the San Francisco Asian Art Museum. “We’re very happy that the Thai lintels have officially returned,” he said. The artefacts left Thailand “under circumstances that are very unclear,” Mr. Mintz said, and turned up in Europe, where Brundage bought them.

Source: The Hindu May 26, 2021 06:09 UTC