The journey to repatriate the bronze statue of the goddess Durga.

On August 28th, in Hanoi , the National Museum of History held a ceremony to announce the results of receiving and repatriating the bronze statue of the goddess Durga to Vietnam.

The bronze statue of the goddess Durga was safely transported to the National Museum of History's storage facility on June 18th.

Delegates attending the unveiling ceremony of the statue of the goddess Durga. (Photo: Minh Thu)

The National Museum of History has established an appraisal council, inviting leading experts in the fields of history, archaeology, culture, art, and antiquities to examine and assess the current condition, determine the nature, age, origin, and value of the statue, and also take samples for alloy composition analysis.

Based on expert assessment and evaluation, the Council determined that this is a four-armed statue of the goddess Durga, possibly a large one (191cm tall in total, with the statue itself being 157cm tall and weighing 101kg), dating back to the 7th century and in relatively intact condition.

The statue is of Vietnamese origin, belonging to the Champa cultural art style. However, information regarding the origin and specific location where the Durga statue was discovered, as stated in the dossier, needs further research.

Speaking at the announcement ceremony, Dr. Nguyen Van Doan, Director of the National Museum of History, said that this is the largest bronze statue, a typical representative of Champa art and culture discovered to date; it is a rare artifact with great cultural and artistic value for Vietnam throughout various historical periods.

Due to its rare and valuable nature, the bronze statue of the goddess Durga is being kept in the museum's storage facility under special conditions, ensuring security, safety, and preservation standards and environment.

Attending the ceremony, US Ambassador to Vietnam Marc Evans Knapper expressed pride that the United States had contributed to bringing this historical and cultural heritage back to Vietnam, helping to repatriate the artifacts and bring those who stole them to justice.

Over the years, the repatriation of Vietnamese artifacts has been the result of cooperation and information exchange, a concerted effort by Vietnam and related countries, especially the United States, in the spirit of adhering to international treaties, including the 1970 UNESCO Convention on Measures Prohibiting Unauthorized Trade, Import, Export and Transfer of Property of Cultural Heritage.

After its unveiling, the bronze statue of the goddess Durga will undergo legal documentation, preservation, and further research before being displayed and introduced to the public both domestically and internationally in the future.

The bronze statue of the goddess Durga has been unveiled. (Photo: Minh Thu)

On this occasion, to commemorate the 79th anniversary of the August Revolution and National Day on September 2nd, the National Museum of History, in collaboration with the Vietnam Cultural Heritage Association and collector Dao Danh Duc, is organizing a thematic exhibition "Treasures of Champa - Marks of Time".

The exhibition consists of two parts: Religious statues and mascots , and jewelry and objects bearing religious symbols and royal authority.

Religious statues and mascots showcase a number of representative artifacts such as: statues of the god Shiva, male and female deities, the god Ganesha, Buddha, the Bodhisattva Avalokitesvara, Linga-Yoni, Kosalinga, the head of Shiva, the divine bull Nandin… made of gold, silver and inlaid with precious stones.

Jewelry and objects bearing religious and royal authority symbols : This exhibition showcases artifacts belonging to the category of jewelry and objects bearing symbols of royal and religious authority, including: earrings, rings, necklaces, hairpins, combs, bracelets, gloves, belts, jewelry boxes, headdresses, crowns, hair coverings... decorated with religious and traditional beliefs of Champa art.

These were offerings to the gods or used by the Champa royal family. These artifacts are all exquisitely crafted with high-level goldsmithing techniques, possessing exceptional historical, cultural, and artistic value.

Through this exhibition, the National History Museum hopes that the public, both domestic and international, will have the opportunity to admire artifacts of exceptional historical, cultural, and artistic value and gain a deeper understanding of a period of Champa's cultural history that seems to be little known; thereby, appreciating and raising awareness of the preservation and promotion of the nation's traditional cultural values.

Furthermore, the exhibition contributes to further strengthening the role of the National History Museum, as well as other public museums, in coordinating and supporting private museums and collections to promote the value of heritage to a wider audience.

The exhibition will run from August 28th to October 2024.

The opening ceremony at the National History Museum. (Photo: Le An)

In August 2023, the Vietnamese Embassy in the UK informed the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism (VH,TT&DL) about the US Department of Justice and the Department of Homeland Security, in coordination with the Metropolitan Police of London, seizing a bronze statue of the goddess Durga, of Vietnamese origin, as part of an investigation into illegal antiquities trafficking, and proposed the possibility of returning this artifact to Vietnam.

Immediately after receiving the information, the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism directed relevant units to research and compare documents to identify the bronze statue of the goddess Durga and propose a plan for receiving and repatriating the statue.

Based on the provisions of the Law on Cultural Heritage, the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism has authorized the repatriation of the bronze statue of the goddess Durga from relevant authorities in the United States and the United Kingdom. The National Museum of History has been designated as the unit responsible for receiving and transporting the statue from the UK to Vietnam for safekeeping and preservation. Simultaneously, a letter has been sent to the Vietnamese Embassy in the UK confirming that the bronze statue of the goddess Durga belongs to Vietnam and authorizing the Embassy to receive the artifact on behalf of the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism from representatives of the US Department of Homeland Security and the Metropolitan Police of London, England.

On September 13, 2023, representatives from the US Department of Homeland Security and the Metropolitan Police of London, in coordination with other relevant agencies, handed over a bronze statue of the goddess Durga to the Vietnamese Embassy in the United Kingdom. The handover ceremony took place at Constantine Company in London, England, where the statue was being kept after being confiscated and brought to Constantine Company on July 17, 2023.

In January 2024, the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism sent a working group to the UK to assess the current situation, prepare handover procedures, supervise packaging, and finalize a plan for transporting the bronze statue of the goddess Durga from the UK to Vietnam.

During their time in London, the delegation coordinated with the Vietnamese Embassy in the United Kingdom and the Metropolitan Police to receive and assess the condition of the bronze statue of the goddess Durga, preliminarily determine the authenticity of the artifact, and collect relevant documents, legal records, and scientific files to serve as a basis for research and promotion of the artifact's value. They also discussed and agreed with Constantine Company on a plan for transporting the bronze statue of the goddess Durga from the UK to Vietnam, ensuring security and safety.

After completing the export permit application and customs procedures, the statue was transported from the UK to Noi Bai Airport on February 21st.

Under the close guidance of the leaders of the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism, and after many efforts by the National Historical Museum, sponsors Dao Danh Duc and Nguyen Ngoc Thuy, and with the active cooperation of relevant ministries, agencies, and units under the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the Ministry of Finance, Vietnam Airlines Corporation, Noi Bai Cargo Services Joint Stock Company, and Constantine Company, on June 18th, the bronze statue of the goddess Durga was safely transported to the storage facility of the National Historical Museum.

Source: https://baoquocte.vn/hanh-trinh-hoi-huong-tuong-dong-nu-than-durga-284183.html