Stolen antiques may be returned from US

A cache of ancient Indian antiques and valuable artefacts, seized from an arrested art smuggler by the US Immigration and Customs Department, have been identified by Indian archaeologists and could soon be returned to the country.

The Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) announced finding over 300 antique objects, including idols dating to the Gupta period (5th-6th century AD) and terracotta In addition seven bronze and 10 stone objects were identified as antiques “of significant historical value”.

According to the ASI, these comprise “beautiful bronzes from the Suttamalli and Sripurantan temples of Tamil Nadu” and also a “very significant image of Mahakoka Devata”. Of these, four were stolen from the protected monuments at Karitalai, Madhya Pradesh on August 16-17, 200.

The Indian Consulate General in New York showed an ASI team 327 objects, out of which 251 were found to be historically important antiques. These include 56 terracotta objects returned by the Toledo Museum (Ohio), which were originally gifted to the museum by the smuggler.

“Majority of them belong to Chandraketugarh, West Bengal, a prominent site of terracotta art in the first decade, CE (Common Era). The rest comprised terracotta objects of Harappan culture and of the Gupta period.”