Recovered gold jewelry that was previously worn by Cambodian royals has been announced by Cambodia

Science
23 Feb, 2023
Cambodia has celebrated the return of a hoard of 77 gold relics, including jewel-encrusted diadems and belts and necklaces woven from fine gold filaments, which were believed to have been part of the crown jewels of the Angkor Empire. Cambodian officials claim the artifacts were looted by tomb raiders and removed from ancient temples and burial sites between the 1970s and early 2000s, during periods of war, genocide, and political upheaval. The items were part of the private collection of Douglas A.J. Latchford, a dealer and scholar of ancient Cambodian art, who was accused of being an antiquities trafficking kingpin. Latchford's daughter returned over 125 Khmer statues and other relics to Cambodia as part of a negotiated agreement. The return of the gold jewelry, which had been stored in a London warehouse, was also part of that deal. Hab Touch, secretary of state with Cambodia’s Ministry of Culture & Fine Arts, described the return of the gold items as a significant moment in the country's history.
The return of 77 gold relics to Cambodia, believed to have been looted from ancient temples and burial grounds, has been celebrated in Phnom Penh. The items, which include jewel-encrusted diadems, belts and necklaces woven from fine gold filaments, and body ornaments, were part of the private collection of Douglas A.J. Latchford, an antiquities dealer and scholar of Cambodian art. The items had been stored in a London warehouse until Latchford's daughter returned them as part of a negotiated agreement. According to officials, the gold is worth over $1m by weight, but its true value is difficult to estimate due to its rarity and illegal exportation. However, up to 30 items pictured in Latchford's book "Khmer Gold: Gifts for the Gods" are believed to be in the hands of private collectors, with Cambodian officials suggesting Latchford bought many of the items from dealers in Thailand or leaders of organised looting gangs.
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