Part of the existing bust depicts a male god with arms and wearing an ornate hat.
The United States will hand over 297 artifacts to India during Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s visit. These artifacts were smuggled out of the country and have been recovered. Trafficking in cultural goods is an age-old problem that has affected many cultures and countries throughout history, and India has been particularly affected.
“Deepening cultural ties and strengthening the fight against illicit trafficking of cultural property. I am very happy with President Biden and the US government for ensuring the return of 297 priceless artefacts to India,” Prime Minister Modi said at the X-Conference.
He thanked President Joe Biden for his support in the return of these devices. He noted that these objects are not just part of India’s historical material culture, but the inner core of its civilization and consciousness.
The total number of artifacts recovered in India since 2014 has risen to 640, authorities said, adding that the number returned directly outside the United States will be 578. That is the maximum number of cultural artifacts returned to India by any country.
Some details of the artifacts returned to the USA:
Image of a Jain Tirthankara meditating on a high pedestal supported by a pair of lions and elephants. A male and female deity are also shown present on either side.
An image depicting four armed Krishnas in the form of Venugopal standing alongside a cow.
A broken plaque representing part of a bust of a decorated winged female figure holding a whole flower stalk in her hands.
Image of a woman dancing while a man plays a musical instrument.
Some of the notable artifacts handed over to India include an apsara in sand from central India dating back to the 10th-11th century CE, a Jain bronze tirthankar dating back to the 15th-16th century CE, a clay vessel from eastern India dating back to the 3rd-4th century CE, and a stone sculpture from southern India dating back to the 1st century BCE – 1st century CE.
