The Antiquities Coalition Releases New Story Map On the Koh Ker Ganesha
January 19, 2022
Interactive Resource Traces Cultural Treasure’s Journey from lost – to found?
One week ago marked a huge break in the case of the lost Koh Ker Ganesha, one of the world’s “Ten Most Wanted Antiquities,” a list launched in 2020 by the Antiquities Coalition to help find some of the top looted, stolen, and missing cultural treasures from around the globe.
In light of this success, the AC has released a new story map documenting the journey of the Ganesha from the rich site of Koh Ker, to the halls of a museum, to the private collection of a wealthy entrepreneur. This interactive resource also features an exclusive interview with Dr. Piphal Heng, a Cambodian archaeologist who has been working in the field for nearly 20 years. He is currently the Interim Associate Director of the Center for Southeast Asian Studies and a member of the affiliate faculty at the Department of Anthropology at University of Hawaii at Manoa.
Last week, US authorities recovered a major collection of looted asian antiquities, including what experts believe is the Ganesha photographed at Koh Ker in the 1930s. This marks the first success from the Ten Most Wanted Antiquities list. We need your help to return the other pieces to their rightful owners. And, Tweet at the AC (@combatlooting) with recommendations for other pieces to include in the living “Top Ten Most Wanted Antiquities” list.
Read Our Press Release on the Recovery here.
Explore the Full Story Map here.