Cambodia has filed a lawsuit in U.S. Federal District Court in New York, accusing the auction house in an attempt to be auctioned off illegally from removals statue, despite the fact that Sotheby's has been known about its origins

Photo disputed Khmer statues in the auction catalog Sotheby's
Source: nytimes.com

Last month, AI wrote that the government of Cambodia's ancient Khmer tries to return the statue, illegally removed from the country . In March 2011 a statue of a warrior should have been set at Sotheby's, but the day before the auction that it was removed from the auction at the request of the Cambodian government.

Since then, the Cambodian authorities have unsuccessfully tried to return the statue, which in Sotheby's catalog was appointed to estimate 2-3 million dollars. It was, for example, asked to find a buyer who would agree to buy the statue at the first auction house for $ 1 million, and then voluntarily repatriate her. And like even a client (a Hungarian collector) was in mind.

However, Cambodia has decided to act directly in this environment has filed a lawsuit against Sotheby's in the U.S. Federal District Court in New York. The record indicates that the Khmer statue came up for sale despite the fact that at least one employee of Sotheby's in 2010, knew about the illegal origin of this artifact from the message specialist Cambodian art.

Today, a sculpture of a warrior should be confiscated from the auction house employees of the U.S. Department of Homeland Security. The division of the ministry - Immigration and Customs Police - builds his accusation, based on a series of Cambodian property law early twentieth century.

Auction House denies it being built on the charges. "The sculpture was imported to the U.S. legally, and all related information is not hidden. We have well studied the history of this statue, but have never seen themselves and did not get from any specific data as to what time of the last millennium the work left Cambodia, "- said in a statement, Sotheby's.

In turn, archaeologists, which referred to the investigators of the American ships, convinced that the statue was moved from Cambodia (to be exact - from the temple of Koh Ker) during the Civil War of the 1970s. In the place were found two pedestal. One of them is preserved fragment (foot) statue, which coincides with the fact around which this dispute is now broke. Another podium is suitable for a similar sculpture, is now in the collection of Norton Simon Museum in Pasadena. French archaeologist Eric Burdaev argues that Khmer sculpture of a warrior (the one that wanted to sell at Sotheby's) seen in Koh Repeater back in the 1960s. In 1965 this place was built the road, which opened access to the monument to all comers. At that time, most likely she was abducted, but this assumption is further supported by the fact that the sales history of the statue begins only in 1975, since its first appearance on the British market.

It seems that the U.S. Supreme Court agrees with the prosecution. As stated by Attorney Southern District of New York Preet Bharara (Preet Bharara), «these actions today [confiscation of sculpture at the auction house] we make an important step towards the return of an ancient artifact to its rightful owners».

Prepared by Mary Onuchina, AI

Source: artinvestment.ru