Hidden away for years in storage rooms, hundreds of precious religious artifacts have been rediscovered at the Itumbaha monastery in Nepal’s capital, Kathmandu. These artifacts include gilded crowns worn by Buddhist priests, halos that adorned statues of deities, and miniature stupas. Some of these items had traveled over 7,500 miles to museums in the United States, like the Rubin Museum of Art and the Metropolitan Museum of Art. The rediscovery brings attention to the ongoing issue of theft and looting of religious artifacts in Nepal.
Nepal has struggled with the theft and looting of its relics and architecture, with authorities estimating that up to 80% of the country’s religious artifacts have been stolen and sold on the black market since the 1980s. With the digitization of museum collections and increased access to information about stolen items, there is growing momentum for the repatriation of these artifacts.
To protect and preserve cultural heritage, documentation and photographs proving the objects’ origin are crucial. The Rubin Museum, in collaboration with Itumbaha, supported the monastery in establishing its museum and providing documentation for the repatriation of looted items. This effort aims to create awareness about the importance of historic collections in religious institutions and the need to document and protect them.
Efforts to repatriate stolen religious artifacts have been ongoing, with organizations like the Nepal Heritage Recovery Campaign (NHRC) actively identifying objects taken from religious sites across the country. Many of these artifacts were stolen as Nepal opened up to overseas visitors in the 1960s and 70s. The return of these objects is not only about rebuilding Nepal’s collections but also about restoring age-old traditions and rituals that were disrupted when the artifacts were stolen.
Itumbaha’s new museum takes a unique approach by presenting religious artifacts as living heritage. The museum is an open space where religious rites and rituals are performed daily. Instead of placing precious objects in sealed display cases, they are used in ceremonies and festivals, emphasizing their role in everyday life. While this approach may lead to some wear and tear, it reflects the idea that artifacts are part of life and can have lives of their own.
This project has brought generations together to decipher the functions of rediscovered items and rekindle interest in Itumbaha’s history and traditions. It represents a continuous, open research center to share and revive lost knowledge.
However, not everyone is satisfied with the Rubin Museum’s involvement in financing the project. Some heritage activists accused the Rubin of using the collaboration to improve its public image and divert attention from the provenance of other items in its collection. While collaborations are essential, there is a call for foreign collectors and museums to take responsibility and investigate, report, and repatriate stolen cultural artifacts. Western museums are urged to consider commissioning local artisans to create authentic replicas for display and to set up processes for identifying and repatriating looted objects.
The rediscovery of religious artifacts in Nepal raises questions about cultural repatriation, highlighting the importance of documentation, collaboration, and ongoing efforts to protect and restore the world’s cultural heritage.
Read Now:Shiv Sena MP Sanjay Raut Clashes with Maharashtra Chief Minister Eknath Shinde Over “Hamas” Remark
