Ancient Sculpture Returns to Afghanistan
An 1800-year-old artifact returns home.
Germany recently sent this pre-Islamic limestone sculpture back to the Afghanistan National Museum.
The piece dates to 200 AD and features what are believed to be audience members with their faces turned left, watching Buddha on his throne.
The museum director says it is one of about 70,000 pieces looted from the museum during the 1990's civil war.
[Omara Khan Massoudi, Director, National Museum of Afghanistan]:
"I am optimistic that in the future we will get the other artifacts also. All these were the result of our good relations with some museum, some very, very famous museums, and also with the UNESCO. I hope in future we will have another example of an artifact returning back to Afghanistan."
The director says more than 8,000 artifacts have been returned since 2007 with the help of UNESCO and Interpol.
- Papua New Guinea Grants Amnesty to Soldiers
2012-01-30 - Indonesian Musical Fireworks Set New Record 2012-01-30
- Indonesia Holds Cross-Cultural Lunar New Year Celebration 2012-01-30
- Kyrgystan Prison Drama: Hunger Strike Ends 2012-01-30
- Tibetans Depict Tensions in Street Play 2012-01-30
- Suu Kyi on Myanmar Election Tour 2012-01-30
- Prime Minister Welcomes Melbourne Chinese New Year 2012-01-30
- Australian Artist Finds New Use For Vegemite 2012-01-30
- Bomb Blasts in Central Iraq 2012-01-27
- Police Pluck Aussie Politicos from Harm's Way on Australia Day 2012-01-27
