On June 20, the Department of Cultural Heritage (Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism) announced that the statue of Goddess Durga, an ancient statue of Vietnamese origin, was successfully repatriated from the United Kingdom.
Previously, in August 2023, the Vietnamese Embassy in the UK informed the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism about the US Department of Justice and the Department of Homeland Security coordinating with the London Metropolitan Police, UK to confiscate a bronze statue of the four-armed Goddess Durga of Vietnamese origin from an investigation into illegal antiquities trafficking and proposed the possibility of returning this antiquity to Vietnam.
Vietnam receives handover of antique bronze statue of Goddess Durga. Photo: Department of Cultural Heritage
Immediately after receiving the information, the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism directed functional units to research, compare documents and determine that the bronze statue of Goddess Durga bears typical characteristics of early Champa sculpture and plastic arts, with exchanges and influences from the sculpture of the late Oc Eo Culture.
Pursuant to the provisions of the Law on Cultural Heritage, the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism has sent an official dispatch to the Vietnamese Embassy in the UK confirming that the bronze statue of Goddess Durga belongs to Vietnam and authorizing the Embassy to receive the antique from representatives of the US Department of Homeland Security and the London Metropolitan Police.
In February 2024, the UK Arts Council - the country's antiques export licensing agency - granted a license to the Vietnam National Museum of History (the unit assigned by the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism to receive, store and preserve the bronze statue) to export the bronze statue of Goddess Durga out of the UK to Vietnam.
At the same time, the Arts Council of the United Kingdom assessed and proposed the symbolic value of the statue at £14,184,397, in order to determine the value for the purposes of licensing procedures for the export of antiques and customs procedures of the United Kingdom. The Vietnamese side did not pay any costs, other than transportation costs, related to the receipt of the bronze statue.
The bronze statue of the four-armed Goddess Durga is an ancient statue, originating from Vietnam, with a large block. Photo: Department of Cultural Heritage
On June 18, 2024, the bronze statue of Goddess Durga arrived in Vietnam and was kept and preserved at the National Museum of History, serving the research, development of plans for displaying, introducing and promoting the value of antiques.
The bronze statue of Goddess Durga with 4 arms is an ancient statue, originating from Vietnam, with a large block (191cm long, 101kg in weight), depicting the image of Goddess Durga of Hinduism.
The statue is crafted with an oval face, half-closed eyes, a high nose bridge, a pursed mouth, a round chin, a full, round chest, a narrow waist, wide hips, four arms, slender legs, a sarong wrapped around the lower body reaching to the ankles, and a flower-shaped tie around the waist. This is an early bronze artifact and is still in relatively complete condition, so it is very rare.
According to a representative of the Department of Cultural Heritage, the bronze statue of Goddess Durga has historical, cultural and artistic value, and is a material object reflecting the cultural, religious and spiritual life in the history of the Champa people - an important part, constituting the diversity and unity in the community of Vietnamese ethnic groups.
The reception of the bronze statue of Goddess Durga to Vietnam has timely supplemented and built complete collections to introduce the diversity and unity of Vietnamese history and culture, better serving the needs of propaganda and education, aiming to improve historical and cultural knowledge.
This is a practical work for the policy of repatriating antiques, preventing the loss of assets and cultural heritage, contributing to the preservation and promotion of the nation's precious cultural heritage throughout the historical process of formation and development that is at risk of being lost due to the development of modern society.
The statue is currently kept at the Vietnam National Museum of History for research purposes. Photo: Department of Cultural Heritage
Based on the practice of repatriating antiquities in recent years, the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism has researched and included in the draft Law on Cultural Heritage (amended) submitted to the National Assembly the provisions on purchasing and bringing relics and antiquities of Vietnamese origin from abroad back to the country, and the Cultural Heritage Support Fund.
This is to create the most favorable legal corridor to bring back more priceless artifacts and assets of the nation that are being lost abroad, promote their value in the soonest time, and mobilize social resources to join hands to protect cultural heritage.
The Vu
Source: https://www.congluan.vn/co-vat-tuong-dong-nu-than-durga-da-ve-viet-nam-post300142.html
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