<p>When the Indian government revealed that the US was repatriating 157 antiquities and artefacts (either stolen or smuggled out of India), during Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s recent US visit, it was a significant milestone on many counts, and it offered hope for many more to follow.</p>

<p>Here’s some statistics to ponder upon: between the years 1970 and 2000, India recovered 19 antiquities from abroad, between the years 2000 and 2013, none were recovered, between 2013 and 2021 August, about 53 had been recovered; and in the past week, 157 were recovered, as per the India Pride Project, an NGO that works towards the restoration and recovery of India’s heritage.</p>

<p><a href="https://www.wionews.com/photos/in-pictures-157-artefacts-that-pm-modi-is-bringing-to-india-on-his-way-back-from-us-trip-415987"><strong>In pictures: 157 artefacts that PM Modi is bringing to India on his way back from US trip</strong></a></p>

<p>At face value, the recovered artefacts might mean different things to different people. But, for the volunteers of India Pride Project, this means years of their tireless efforts coming to fruition and offers them more hope to continue in pursuit of such looted and lost treasures of Indian heritage.</p>

<p>While a team of volunteers monitors social media for any Indian objects going on sale, the core team works on research and coordinating with law enforcement agencies to ensure the lawful return of artifacts. WION spoke to S Vijay Kumar, co-founder of the India Pride Project, to understand their journey into the world of art, identifying and tracing stolen art and the efforts that follow, before getting the antiques to where they belong.</p>

<p>According to Vijay, the latest trove of 157 heritage works was recovered from the collections of five art smugglers/dealers/thieves/exhibitors, who operated and made millions in the international market via illegal sales. The big names are Subhash Kapoor (Art of Past Gallery), Doris and Nancy Wierner (Wierner Gallery), Nayef Homsi, UK dealers who had exhibited stolen idols during the 2016 Asia Week in New York along with the Punnainallur Nataraja from Asia Society Museum. At different points in time, over the last decade, these individuals and their warehouses were held and raided by US authorities.</p>

<p>"Our work and coordination has primarily been with the US Immigration and Customs Enforcement, Department of Homeland Security and Colonel Matthew Bogdanos, Assistant District Attorney, New York and Art Expert Apsara Iyer in his team, besides the Indian authorities. The authorities send us pictures known as ‘robber offering photos’ that depict fresh loot, which are meant to be sent to collectors abroad. We use these pictures and compare them with our database and undertake the extremely time-consuming process of cross-verifying and matching them with old records. After sourcing irrefutable proof, we reach out to the authorities and request the retrieval of the artefact" Vijay Kumar elaborated.</p>

<p>According to India Pride Project, some of the significant artifacts from the present lot of 157 are the Punnainallur Chola Bronze Nataraja, Chamunda ex Dakshina Candi temple Orissa , Chola bronze Alingana murthy from Deepambalpuram seized from Ball State Museum, a Pala stone steele of Vishnu seized from the Harn Museum, Chola Stone Lingothbava seized from Birmingham Museum and a host of Terracota stoneware from Chandraketugarh seized from the Toledo Museum (Ohio) and Honalulu Museum. However, the team is hopeful that this is only the first batch of heritage articles from the US and that many more batches would follow. Some of the major expectations in the upcoming batches are pinned own the return of the Thachur Murugan from Tamil Nadu, host of Chola bronzes from Sripuranthan, the Barhut Yakshi from Madhya Pradesh, the Chola stone Nagapattinam Buddha etc..</p>

<p>The team’s biggest regret and trigger has been how India’s ‘Living God’s’ or ‘Murtis’ that are meant to be placed in the sanctum sanctorum of temples adorn the swimming pools and living rooms of the ignorant and rich Westerners, who only see them as idols that can be purchased. They firmly believe that India’s authorities at the state-level must wake up to the reality of such thefts of historical artefacts and how they are smuggled out of the country. A constant lament of those working in this sector has been how Indian Law has helped smugglers rather than protecting the heritage articles - In India, idol or artefact theft is punishable with seven years imprisonment and a fine of Rs.3000. This is said to be in stark contrast to Egypt and China, where theft from tombs attract as much as capital punishment.</p>

<p>While most countries track down their heritage articles that go on sale abroad and demand the proof of ownership from the sellers, India is said to have been following the method where the onus of proving lay on itself. This is another major stumbling block in tracing and retrieving the artifacts from high-profile museums and auctions that take place abroad.</p>

<p>Despite the obstacles that come their way, the India Pride Project team remains committed to restoring Indian Pride and heritage and labours on from the different locations that they are spread across, while also carrying on with their professions.</p>


When the Indian government revealed that the US was repatriating 157 antiquities and artefacts (either stolen or smuggled out of India), during Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s recent US visit, it was a significant milestone on many counts, and it offered hope for many more to follow.

When the Indian government revealed that the US was repatriating 157 antiquities and artefacts (either stolen or smuggled out of India), during Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s recent US visit, it was a significant milestone on many counts, and it offered hope for many more to follow. Here’s some statistics to ponder upon: between the years 1970 and 2000, India recovered 19 antiquities from abroad, between the years 2000 and 2013, none were recovered, between 2013 and 2021 August, about 53 had been recovered; and in the past week, 157 were recovered, as per the India Pride Project, an NGO that works towards the restoration and recovery of India’s heritage. In pictures: 157 artefacts that PM Modi is bringing to India on his way back from US trip At face value, the recovered artefacts might mean different things to different people. But, for the volunteers of India Pride Project, this means years of their tireless efforts coming to fruition and offers them more hope to continue in pursuit of such looted and lost treasures of Indian heritage. While a team of volunteers monitors social media for any Indian objects going on sale, the core team works on research and coordinating with law enforcement agencies to ensure the lawful return of artifacts. WION spoke to S Vijay Kumar, co-founder of the India Pride Project, to understand their journey into the world of art, identifying and tracing stolen art and the efforts that follow, before getting the antiques to where they belong. According to Vijay, the latest trove of 157 heritage works was recovered from the collections of five art smugglers/dealers/thieves/exhibitors, who operated and made millions in the international market via illegal sales. The big names are Subhash Kapoor (Art of Past Gallery), Doris and Nancy Wierner (Wierner Gallery), Nayef Homsi, UK dealers who had exhibited stolen idols during the 2016 Asia Week in New York along with the Punnainallur Nataraja from Asia Society Museum. At different points in time, over the last decade, these individuals and their warehouses were held and raided by US authorities. "Our work and coordination has primarily been with the US Immigration and Customs Enforcement, Department of Homeland Security and Colonel Matthew Bogdanos, Assistant District Attorney, New York and Art Expert Apsara Iyer in his team, besides the Indian authorities. The authorities send us pictures known as ‘robber offering photos’ that depict fresh loot, which are meant to be sent to collectors abroad. We use these pictures and compare them with our database and undertake the extremely time-consuming process of cross-verifying and matching them with old records. After sourcing irrefutable proof, we reach out to the authorities and request the retrieval of the artefact" Vijay Kumar elaborated. According to India Pride Project, some of the significant artifacts from the present lot of 157 are the Punnainallur Chola Bronze Nataraja, Chamunda ex Dakshina Candi temple Orissa , Chola bronze Alingana murthy from Deepambalpuram seized from Ball State Museum, a Pala stone steele of Vishnu seized from the Harn Museum, Chola Stone Lingothbava seized from Birmingham Museum and a host of Terracota stoneware from Chandraketugarh seized from the Toledo Museum (Ohio) and Honalulu Museum. However, the team is hopeful that this is only the first batch of heritage articles from the US and that many more batches would follow. Some of the major expectations in the upcoming batches are pinned own the return of the Thachur Murugan from Tamil Nadu, host of Chola bronzes from Sripuranthan, the Barhut Yakshi from Madhya Pradesh, the Chola stone Nagapattinam Buddha etc.. The team’s biggest regret and trigger has been how India’s ‘Living God’s’ or ‘Murtis’ that are meant to be placed in the sanctum sanctorum of temples adorn the swimming pools and living rooms of the ignorant and rich Westerners, who only see them as idols that can be purchased. They firmly believe that India’s authorities at the state-level must wake up to the reality of such thefts of historical artefacts and how they are smuggled out of the country. A constant lament of those working in this sector has been how Indian Law has helped smugglers rather than protecting the heritage articles - In India, idol or artefact theft is punishable with seven years imprisonment and a fine of Rs.3000. This is said to be in stark contrast to Egypt and China, where theft from tombs attract as much as capital punishment. While most countries track down their heritage articles that go on sale abroad and demand the proof of ownership from the sellers, India is said to have been following the method where the onus of proving lay on itself. This is another major stumbling block in tracing and retrieving the artifacts from high-profile museums and auctions that take place abroad. Despite the obstacles that come their way, the India Pride Project team remains committed to restoring Indian Pride and heritage and labours on from the different locations that they are spread across, while also carrying on with their professions.

Behind the scenes story of how India recovered 157 idols, artefacts from the US

In pictures: 157 artefacts that PM Modi is bringing to India on his way back from US trip

<p>As Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi departed for New Delhi after completing his historic trip for UN General Assembly, bilateral summit with President Joe Biden and Quad summit, he is also bringing&nbsp;157 artefacts and antiquities that were handed over by the United States.</p>

<p>This comes as PM Modi and President Biden committed to strengthen their efforts to combat the theft, illicit trade and trafficking of cultural objects.</p>

<p><strong>Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/pm-modi-at-unga-covid-taught-world-that-global-economy-should-be-more-diversified-415901">PM Modi at UNGA: Covid taught world that global economy should be more diversified</a></strong></p>

<p><strong><img alt="Artefacts" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="f746eed9-4656-44c5-819f-9ec83a3aeac3" src="//cdn.wionews.com/sites/default/files/inline-images/Untitled%20design_177.jpg" /></strong></p>

<p>The list of 157 artefacts includes a diverse set to items ranging from the one and a half metre bas relief panel of&nbsp;Revanta&nbsp;in sandstone of the 10th&nbsp;CE to the 8.5cm tall, exquisite bronze Nataraja from the 12th&nbsp;CE.</p>

<p>The items largely belong to the period of 11th&nbsp;CE to 14th&nbsp;CE as well as historic antiquities such as the copper anthropomorphic object of 2000BC or the terracotta vase from the 2nd&nbsp;CE. Some 45 antiquities belong to Before Common Era.&nbsp;</p>

<p><img alt="Modi" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="c3dfa434-e676-48d9-ad06-fbd8665f2c20" src="//cdn.wionews.com/sites/default/files/inline-images/Modi.jpeg" /></p>

<p>More than 70 items are cultural artifacts, there are 60 figurines related to Hinduism, 16 related to Buddhism and nine Jainism artifacts.</p>

<p><strong>Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/india-news/india-is-first-to-develop-worlds-first-dna-vaccine-pm-modi-415902">India is first to develop world's first DNA vaccine: PM Modi</a></strong></p>

<p>Their make spreads across metal, stone and terracotta.&nbsp;The bronze collection primarily contains ornate figurines of the well-known postures of Lakshmi Narayana, Buddha, Vishnu, Siva Parvathi and the 24 Jain Tirthankaras and the less common Kankalamurti, Brahmi and Nandikesa besides other unnamed deities and divine figures.</p>

<p>The motifs include religious sculptures from Hinduism (Three headed Brahma, Chariot Driving Surya, Vishnu and his Consorts, Siva as Dakshinamurti, Dancing Ganesha etc), Buddhism (Standing Buddha, Boddhisattva Majushri, Tara) and Jainism (Jain Tirthankara, Padmasana Tirthankara, Jaina Choubisi) as well as secular motifs (Amorphous couple in Samabhanga, Chowri Bearer, Female playing drum etc).</p>

<p><a href="https://www.wionews.com/videos/pm-modi-unga-address-2021-pm-modi-pays-tribute-to-lives-lost-due-to-pandemic-415917"><strong>WATCH |</strong></a></p>

<p><iframe allowfullscreen="" autoplay="1" frameborder="0" height="350" src="https://www.wionews.com/videos/pm-modi-unga-address-2021-pm-modi-pays-tribute-to-lives-lost-due-to-pandemic-415917/embed" width="560"></iframe></p>

<p>There are 56 terracotta pieces (Vase 2nd&nbsp;CE, Pair of Deer 12th&nbsp;CE, Bust of Female 14th&nbsp;CE) and an 18th&nbsp;CE sword with sheath with inscription mentioning Guru Hargovind Singh in Persian).&nbsp;This continues the efforts by the Modi Government to bring back our antiquities and artefacts from across the world.</p>


As Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi departed for New Delhi after completing his historic trip for UN General Assembly, bilateral summit with President Joe Biden and Quad summit, he is also bringing 157 artefacts and antiquities that were handed over by the United States.

As Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi departed for New Delhi after completing his historic trip for UN General Assembly, bilateral summit with President Joe Biden and Quad summit, he is also bringing 157 artefacts and antiquities that were handed over by the United States. This comes as PM Modi and President Biden committed to strengthen their efforts to combat the theft, illicit trade and trafficking of cultural objects. Also read | PM Modi at UNGA: Covid taught world that global economy should be more diversified The list of 157 artefacts includes a diverse set to items ranging from the one and a half metre bas relief panel of Revanta in sandstone of the 10th CE to the 8.5cm tall, exquisite bronze Nataraja from the 12th CE. The items largely belong to the period of 11th CE to 14th CE as well as historic antiquities such as the copper anthropomorphic object of 2000BC or the terracotta vase from the 2nd CE. Some 45 antiquities belong to Before Common Era. More than 70 items are cultural artifacts, there are 60 figurines related to Hinduism, 16 related to Buddhism and nine Jainism artifacts. Also read | India is first to develop world's first DNA vaccine: PM Modi Their make spreads across metal, stone and terracotta. The bronze collection primarily contains ornate figurines of the well-known postures of Lakshmi Narayana, Buddha, Vishnu, Siva Parvathi and the 24 Jain Tirthankaras and the less common Kankalamurti, Brahmi and Nandikesa besides other unnamed deities and divine figures. The motifs include religious sculptures from Hinduism (Three headed Brahma, Chariot Driving Surya, Vishnu and his Consorts, Siva as Dakshinamurti, Dancing Ganesha etc), Buddhism (Standing Buddha, Boddhisattva Majushri, Tara) and Jainism (Jain Tirthankara, Padmasana Tirthankara, Jaina Choubisi) as well as secular motifs (Amorphous couple in Samabhanga, Chowri Bearer, Female playing drum etc). WATCH | There are 56 terracotta pieces (Vase 2nd CE, Pair of Deer 12th CE, Bust of Female 14th CE) and an 18th CE sword with sheath with inscription mentioning Guru Hargovind Singh in Persian). This continues the efforts by the Modi Government to bring back our antiquities and artefacts from across the world.

PM Modi to bring home 157 Indian artefacts and antiquities from the US

India is aggressively pursuing artefacts stolen from the country in the last century. Will former colonial powers agree to return the loot, or will they keep it locked up in their museums? Palki Sharma tells you.

Gravitas: Australia to return stolen artefacts to India

<p>Australia's National Gallery said on Thursday that it will return 14 artworks to India at least six of which are believed to have been stolen of illegally exported.&nbsp;</p>

<p>The artworks include sculptures, photographs and a scroll. The gallery has identified the works as either looted, stolen or of unknown origin.</p>

<p>The collection is composed largely of "religious and cultural artefacts" worth a total of about US$2.2 million, including some dating back to the 12th century.</p>

<p>Gallery director Nick Mitzevich told AFP the works were set to be returned to the Indian government within months.</p>

<p>"It's a relief that they can be returned to the Indian people, and it's a resolution for the National Gallery to close a very difficult chapter of our history," he said.</p>

<p>Thirteen of the artworks are connected to alleged trafficker Subhash Kapoor, a former art dealer in Manhattan who was subject of a massive US federal investigation known as Operation Hidden Idol. Kapoor is awaiting trial and he denies all charges.</p>

<p>The National Gallery of Australia has already returned several other works it acquired via Kapoor, including a US$5 million bronze statue of the Hindu god Shiva that had been stolen from a Tamil Nadu temple.</p>

<p>Mitzevich said it had introduced guidelines to assess any legal and ethical issues with works it holds, and was investigating three other sculptures from its Asia collection.</p>

<p>"It's very much a live issue with galleries around the world. And we want to make sure that we can resolve these issues in a timely manner," he said.</p>

<p>Many of the antiquities Kapoor dealt in dated back to the 11th and 12th centuries, when the Chola dynasty presided over a flourishing of Hindu art in Tamil Nadu.</p>

<p>Since his arrest in 2011, the United States has also returned hundreds of artefacts.</p>

<p><em>(With inputs from agencies)</em></p>


Australia's National Gallery said on Thursday that it will return 14 artworks to India at least six of which are believed to have been stolen of illegally exported.

Australia's National Gallery said on Thursday that it will return 14 artworks to India at least six of which are believed to have been stolen of illegally exported. The artworks include sculptures, photographs and a scroll. The gallery has identified the works as either looted, stolen or of unknown origin. The collection is composed largely of "religious and cultural artefacts" worth a total of about US$2.2 million, including some dating back to the 12th century. Gallery director Nick Mitzevich told AFP the works were set to be returned to the Indian government within months. "It's a relief that they can be returned to the Indian people, and it's a resolution for the National Gallery to close a very difficult chapter of our history," he said. Thirteen of the artworks are connected to alleged trafficker Subhash Kapoor, a former art dealer in Manhattan who was subject of a massive US federal investigation known as Operation Hidden Idol. Kapoor is awaiting trial and he denies all charges. The National Gallery of Australia has already returned several other works it acquired via Kapoor, including a US$5 million bronze statue of the Hindu god Shiva that had been stolen from a Tamil Nadu temple. Mitzevich said it had introduced guidelines to assess any legal and ethical issues with works it holds, and was investigating three other sculptures from its Asia collection. "It's very much a live issue with galleries around the world. And we want to make sure that we can resolve these issues in a timely manner," he said. Many of the antiquities Kapoor dealt in dated back to the 11th and 12th centuries, when the Chola dynasty presided over a flourishing of Hindu art in Tamil Nadu. Since his arrest in 2011, the United States has also returned hundreds of artefacts. (With inputs from agencies)

Australia to return 'stolen' artefacts to India

<p>Precious artefacts from Afghanistan’s ancient past were seized from a New York-based art dealer recently, and have now been returned to the government of Afghanistan.</p>

<p>A collection of 33 artefacts, the relics were seized from an art dealer who has been described as one of the most prolific smugglers of antiquities in the world.</p>

<p><strong>Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/south-asia/afghanistan-pakistan-turkish-ministers-to-discuss-afghan-peace-prospects-379246" hreflang="en">Afghanistan, Pakistan, Turkish ministers to discuss Afghan peace prospects</a></strong></p>

<p>"The significance of the material is huge," said Roya Rahmani, Afghanistan's ambassador to the US. "Each one of these pieces are priceless depictions of our history."</p>

<p>These relics were handed over to Rahmani in a formal ceremony on Monday in New York in presence of the Manhattan District Attorney's office and Homeland Security Investigations.</p>

<p><img alt="Afghan relics" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="0828ff1e-9b4b-4f00-9d77-4ad0591c8068" src="//cdn.wionews.com/sites/default/files/inline-images/Afghan%20relics.jpg" /></p>

<p>The artefacts were discovered as a part of a larger investigation of antiquities trafficking from a number of countries.</p>

<p>After being displayed at the embassy in Washington, the artefacts are being carefully transported to Kabul. The relics, which include sculptures, masks and other precious items, will be put on display at the National Museum in Kabul.</p>

<p>While the Taliban has already attacked the museum once, destroying precious antiquities, this ti,e the authorities are hoping to have tight security for the precious relics.</p>

<p>"However, what I know is that our security forces are determined to defend our people," she told Associated Press. "The government is committed to do its part for peace and stability in a way that would bring durable peace."</p>


Precious artefacts from Afghanistan’s ancient past were seized from a New York-based art dealer recently, and have now been returned to the government of Afghanistan.

Precious artefacts from Afghanistan’s ancient past were seized from a New York-based art dealer recently, and have now been returned to the government of Afghanistan. A collection of 33 artefacts, the relics were seized from an art dealer who has been described as one of the most prolific smugglers of antiquities in the world. Also read | Afghanistan, Pakistan, Turkish ministers to discuss Afghan peace prospects "The significance of the material is huge," said Roya Rahmani, Afghanistan's ambassador to the US. "Each one of these pieces are priceless depictions of our history." These relics were handed over to Rahmani in a formal ceremony on Monday in New York in presence of the Manhattan District Attorney's office and Homeland Security Investigations. The artefacts were discovered as a part of a larger investigation of antiquities trafficking from a number of countries. After being displayed at the embassy in Washington, the artefacts are being carefully transported to Kabul. The relics, which include sculptures, masks and other precious items, will be put on display at the National Museum in Kabul. While the Taliban has already attacked the museum once, destroying precious antiquities, this ti,e the authorities are hoping to have tight security for the precious relics. "However, what I know is that our security forces are determined to defend our people," she told Associated Press. "The government is committed to do its part for peace and stability in a way that would bring durable peace."

US returns precious relics to Afghanistan after seizing from New York-based smuggler

<p>About 3,700 years ago, a man and a woman were buried together in the southeast of the Iberian Peninsula. Their tomb was an ovoid jar beneath the floor of a grand hall in an expansive hilltop complex known as La Almoloya, in what is now Murcia, Spain. It’s one of many archaeological sites associated with El Argar culture of the Early Bronze Age that controlled an area about the size of Belgium from 2200 B.C. to 1500 B.C.</p>

<p>Judging by the 29 high-value objects in the tomb, described Thursday in the journal Antiquity, the couple appear to have been members of the Argaric upper class. And the woman may have been the more important of the two, raising questions for archaeologists about who wielded power among the Argarics, and adding more evidence to a debate about the role of women in prehistoric Europe.</p>

<p>She died in her 20s, possibly of tuberculosis, and had been placed on her back with her legs bent toward the man. In life, she had a range of congenital anomalies such as a shortened, fused spine and a stunted left thumb.</p>

<p><strong>Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/science/this-planet-is-hotter-than-80-per-cent-of-stars-in-the-universe-370398" hreflang="en">This planet is hotter than 80 per cent of stars in the universe</a></strong></p>

<p>On and around her were sublime silver emblems of wealth and power. Her hair had been fastened with silver spirals, and her silver earlobe plugs — one larger than the other — had silver spirals looped through them. A silver bracelet was near her elbow, and a silver ring was still on her finger. Silver embellished the diamond-shaped ceramic pot near her, and triple plates of silver embellished her oak-wood awl — a symbol of womanhood.</p>

<p>Her most fantastic silver artifact is an impeccably crafted diadem — a headbandlike crown — that still rested on her head. Only six have been discovered in Argaric graves.</p>

<p>She would have shimmered in life. “Imagine the diadem with a disc going down to the tip of her nose,” said Cristina Rihuete Herrada, an archaeologist and professor of prehistory at the Autonomous University of Barcelona and one of the discoverers of the burial. “It’s shining. You could actually see yourself in the disc. Framing the eyes of that woman, it would be a very, very impressive thing to see. And the ability of somebody to be reflected — their face in another face — would have been something shocking.”</p>

<p><strong>Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/india-news/isro-chandrayaan-3-launch-by-mid-2022-mangalyaan-2-in-definition-stage-370417" hreflang="en">ISRO: Chandrayaan-3 launch by mid-2022, Mangalyaan-2 in definition stage</a></strong></p>

<p>The sound of her would have been dramatic too: “Think about the noise — this clink, clink, clink, because it’s silver against silver in these very large earlobes,” Rihuete Herrada said. “That would make for a remarkable person.”</p>

<p>The man, who was in his 30s when he died, had been interred with his own fineries, including flared gold plugs in his ears. The silver ring that had once been on his finger had fallen off and lay near his lower back. By his side was a copper dagger fitted with four silver rivets.</p>

<p>Like their contemporaries — such as the Minoans of Crete, the Wessex of Britain and the Unetice of Central Europe — the Argarics had the hallmarks of a state society, with a ruling bureaucracy, geopolitical boundaries, complex settlement systems and urban centers with monumental structures. They had divisions of labor and class distinctions that persisted after death, based on the wide disparity of grave goods discovered at archaeological sites.</p>

<p>And while most of these systems have long been considered deeply patriarchal, the double burial at La Almoloya and other Argaric graves are making archaeologists reconsider life in ancient Iberia. Was she the one wielding the power? Was she a symbol of power but held none of her own? Did they share power or wield it in different realms?</p>

<p>They were buried beneath the floor of a great hall, where long benches lined the walls, and a podium stood before a hearth meant for warmth and light, not cooking. The space was big enough to hold about 50 people. “There have been hundreds of El Argar buildings excavated, and this one is unique. It’s quite clearly a building specialized in politics,” Rihuete Herrada said.</p>

<p>The couple had at least one child together — an infant discovered buried beneath a nearby building was a genetic match to both of them.</p>

<p>In El Argar culture, girls were given grave goods at an earlier age than boys were, indicating they were considered women before boys were considered men. Diadems are exclusively found with women, and their graves hold a richer variety of valuable goods. Some male elite warriors were buried with swords.</p>

<p>As for the power structure the two occupied, Rihuete Herrada suggests that perhaps they held potency in different realms. The swords could suggest “that enforcement of government decisions will be in the hands of men. Maybe women were political rulers, but not alone,” she said.</p>

<p>She suggests that perhaps the Argarics were similar to the matrilineal Haudenosaunee (known also as the Iroquois), with women holding political and decisionmaking power — including over matters of chiefdom, war and justice — but men being in control of the military.</p>

<p>These intriguing ideas fit into an emerging body of research from various archaeological studies in Europe that are reexamining female power during the Bronze Age.</p>

<p>“The fact that most of the grave goods, including all of those made of silver, were associated with the female clearly points to an individual that was considered highly important,” said Karin Frei, a research professor in archaeometry at the National Museum of Denmark. “It makes sense to raise the question of whether a class-based state society could be ruled by women."</p>


About 3,700 years ago, a man and a woman were buried together in the southeast of the Iberian Peninsula. Their tomb was an ovoid jar beneath the floor of a grand hall in an expansive hilltop complex known as La Almoloya, in what is now Murcia, Spain.

About 3,700 years ago, a man and a woman were buried together in the southeast of the Iberian Peninsula. Their tomb was an ovoid jar beneath the floor of a grand hall in an expansive hilltop complex known as La Almoloya, in what is now Murcia, Spain. It’s one of many archaeological sites associated with El Argar culture of the Early Bronze Age that controlled an area about the size of Belgium from 2200 B.C. to 1500 B.C. Judging by the 29 high-value objects in the tomb, described Thursday in the journal Antiquity, the couple appear to have been members of the Argaric upper class. And the woman may have been the more important of the two, raising questions for archaeologists about who wielded power among the Argarics, and adding more evidence to a debate about the role of women in prehistoric Europe. She died in her 20s, possibly of tuberculosis, and had been placed on her back with her legs bent toward the man. In life, she had a range of congenital anomalies such as a shortened, fused spine and a stunted left thumb. Also read | This planet is hotter than 80 per cent of stars in the universe On and around her were sublime silver emblems of wealth and power. Her hair had been fastened with silver spirals, and her silver earlobe plugs — one larger than the other — had silver spirals looped through them. A silver bracelet was near her elbow, and a silver ring was still on her finger. Silver embellished the diamond-shaped ceramic pot near her, and triple plates of silver embellished her oak-wood awl — a symbol of womanhood. Her most fantastic silver artifact is an impeccably crafted diadem — a headbandlike crown — that still rested on her head. Only six have been discovered in Argaric graves. She would have shimmered in life. “Imagine the diadem with a disc going down to the tip of her nose,” said Cristina Rihuete Herrada, an archaeologist and professor of prehistory at the Autonomous University of Barcelona and one of the discoverers of the burial. “It’s shining. You could actually see yourself in the disc. Framing the eyes of that woman, it would be a very, very impressive thing to see. And the ability of somebody to be reflected — their face in another face — would have been something shocking.” Also read | ISRO: Chandrayaan-3 launch by mid-2022, Mangalyaan-2 in definition stage The sound of her would have been dramatic too: “Think about the noise — this clink, clink, clink, because it’s silver against silver in these very large earlobes,” Rihuete Herrada said. “That would make for a remarkable person.” The man, who was in his 30s when he died, had been interred with his own fineries, including flared gold plugs in his ears. The silver ring that had once been on his finger had fallen off and lay near his lower back. By his side was a copper dagger fitted with four silver rivets. Like their contemporaries — such as the Minoans of Crete, the Wessex of Britain and the Unetice of Central Europe — the Argarics had the hallmarks of a state society, with a ruling bureaucracy, geopolitical boundaries, complex settlement systems and urban centers with monumental structures. They had divisions of labor and class distinctions that persisted after death, based on the wide disparity of grave goods discovered at archaeological sites. And while most of these systems have long been considered deeply patriarchal, the double burial at La Almoloya and other Argaric graves are making archaeologists reconsider life in ancient Iberia. Was she the one wielding the power? Was she a symbol of power but held none of her own? Did they share power or wield it in different realms? They were buried beneath the floor of a great hall, where long benches lined the walls, and a podium stood before a hearth meant for warmth and light, not cooking. The space was big enough to hold about 50 people. “There have been hundreds of El Argar buildings excavated, and this one is unique. It’s quite clearly a building specialized in politics,” Rihuete Herrada said. The couple had at least one child together — an infant discovered buried beneath a nearby building was a genetic match to both of them. In El Argar culture, girls were given grave goods at an earlier age than boys were, indicating they were considered women before boys were considered men. Diadems are exclusively found with women, and their graves hold a richer variety of valuable goods. Some male elite warriors were buried with swords. As for the power structure the two occupied, Rihuete Herrada suggests that perhaps they held potency in different realms. The swords could suggest “that enforcement of government decisions will be in the hands of men. Maybe women were political rulers, but not alone,” she said. She suggests that perhaps the Argarics were similar to the matrilineal Haudenosaunee (known also as the Iroquois), with women holding political and decisionmaking power — including over matters of chiefdom, war and justice — but men being in control of the military. These intriguing ideas fit into an emerging body of research from various archaeological studies in Europe that are reexamining female power during the Bronze Age. “The fact that most of the grave goods, including all of those made of silver, were associated with the female clearly points to an individual that was considered highly important,” said Karin Frei, a research professor in archaeometry at the National Museum of Denmark. “It makes sense to raise the question of whether a class-based state society could be ruled by women."

She was buried with a silver crown. Was she the one who held power?

Archaeological discovery in Egypt 'rewrites history' as we know it!

An Egyptian artefact, missing for decades, was found this month in a cigar box at the Scottish University of Aberdeen by an Egyptian staff member.

Artefact found in Scotland cigar box could unveil mysteries of Great Pyramid 

Fans of some of the biggest blockbusters from the past decades will soon be able to recreate their favourite scenes at home as nearly 1,000 pieces of movie memorabilia go on sale in an online auction.

Brad Pitt's 'Fight Club' jacket, 'Pretty Woman' boots up for sale in memorabilia auction

<p>A Canadian tourist who stole mosaic tiles, parts of an amphora and a ceramics piece from the city of Pompeii 15 years ago, returned them saying they brought "bad luck".</p>

<p>The woman, identified as Nicole sent a package containing the artefacts to a travel agent in the southern Italian city of Pompeii, along with a confession letter.&nbsp;</p>

<p><strong>Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/archaeological-crime-gang-uncovered-in-italy-10000-artefacts-recovered-263007">Archaeological crime gang uncovered in Italy, 10,000 artefacts recovered</a></strong></p>

<p>She wrote that she was in her early 20s when she visited the city's archaeological park in 2005 and the robbery caused a number of misfortunes to her that includes getting breast cancer twice and being hit by a financial crisis.&nbsp;</p>

<p>"The last time ending in a double mastectomy. My family and I also had financial problems. We’re good people and I don’t want to pass this curse on to my family or children."</p>

<p>"Please, take them back, they bring bad luck," she said as she sought "forgiveness from God".</p>

<p>She said she committed the theft as she wanted to possess a piece of history that "nobody could have", but the artefacts had "so much negative energy … linked to that land of destruction".&nbsp;</p>

<p>Pompeii was covered in volcanic ash after the gigantic eruption of the Mount Vesuvius in AD79. It was buried until it was rediscovered in the 16th century, which led to an understanding of how life used to be in ancient times.&nbsp;</p>

<p><br />
&nbsp;</p>


A Canadian tourist who stole mosaic tiles, parts of an amphora and a ceramics piece from the city of Pompeii 15 years ago, returned them saying they brought "bad luck".

A Canadian tourist who stole mosaic tiles, parts of an amphora and a ceramics piece from the city of Pompeii 15 years ago, returned them saying they brought "bad luck". The woman, identified as Nicole sent a package containing the artefacts to a travel agent in the southern Italian city of Pompeii, along with a confession letter. Also read | Archaeological crime gang uncovered in Italy, 10,000 artefacts recovered She wrote that she was in her early 20s when she visited the city's archaeological park in 2005 and the robbery caused a number of misfortunes to her that includes getting breast cancer twice and being hit by a financial crisis. "The last time ending in a double mastectomy. My family and I also had financial problems. We’re good people and I don’t want to pass this curse on to my family or children." "Please, take them back, they bring bad luck," she said as she sought "forgiveness from God". She said she committed the theft as she wanted to possess a piece of history that "nobody could have", but the artefacts had "so much negative energy … linked to that land of destruction". Pompeii was covered in volcanic ash after the gigantic eruption of the Mount Vesuvius in AD79. It was buried until it was rediscovered in the 16th century, which led to an understanding of how life used to be in ancient times.

Canadian woman returns artefacts saying they brought 'bad luck'

Diyabanza, a Congolese activist who has lived in France for 20 years, belongs to a pan-African movement that demands France return colonial artifacts it expropriated from its subjugates and recompense for acts of slavery.

Meet the Congolese “seizing” African art from Western museums

Brazil's national museum said on Tuesday that it has recovered 200 pieces from its Egypt collection after a devastating fire eight months ago.

Brazil museum recovers 200 Egypt pieces after fire

<p>Enter Dilli Haat and you will be greeted with scores of shops dealing with Indian handicrafts, textiles and artefacts. A treasure trove for those looking for authentic Indian handmade goods, the place never disappoints.&nbsp;</p>

<p>But behind the happy, cheerful faces of local craftsmen, are echoing tales of hope and despair.&nbsp;</p>

<p>One such tiny shop is manned by Ashish Kumar from Madhubani in Bihar. As I enter his den, Ashish is seen showing the eponymous paintings to a prospective client, a foreigner visiting from England.&nbsp;</p>

<p>Ashish is one amongst many traditional Madhubani painters who survive on their paintings for a living, and it&rsquo;s not a very rosy picture for them as narrated by him.</p>

<p><strong>Struggling for Stability</strong></p>

<p>Ashish Kumar says, &ldquo;I come from Jitwarpur village in Madhubani where there are close to 500-600 odd artisans. We all write applications to the Madhubani head office in Madhubani for government sanction and every year only 10-15 are selected. The government gives them (selected ones) TA/DA while helping the painters to put&nbsp;up a shop at a temporary location in the form of an exhibition or at places like Dilli Haat for 15 days. The only great thing in this arrangement is, that even if we don&rsquo;t earn anything at times, we don&rsquo;t lose our own money in the process as the basics are met with the help of the government.&rdquo;</p>

<p>Ashish Kumar has been painting since 9 years and has learnt Madhubani art from his father. &ldquo;Everyone in our house is a painter; my mother, father, sisters, brothers, relatives, everybody. It runs in the blood of that area, we are born painters&rdquo;, adds Ashish.</p>

<p>Do the paintings compensate the painters fairly?</p>

<p>Ashish offers me a proposition instead of answering directly. He says, &ldquo;At the moment my most expensive paintings are for Rs. 80,000 on canvas and Rs. 65,000 on handmade paper. It took us almost 3.5 months to 3 months to make each as no painter paints for more than 2-3 hours a day.&nbsp;Pricing of each Madhubani depends on the size of the painting and the clarity of work. Also, any single&nbsp;painting is painted exclusively by one painter as no two hands are the same, and would lead to irregularities of design elements.</p>

<p>&nbsp;</p>

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<p>This painting is priced at Rs. 80,000 and took about 3.5 months to make. It has different elements within one painting (WION)</p>
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<p>&ldquo;Now, these paintings might sell tomorrow or might just go back with me to my village. There is no certainty.&nbsp;<br />
&nbsp;<br />
&ldquo;So even though there are considerable profit margins, selling the art is a tricky business&rdquo;, he adds.&nbsp;</p>

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<h5>These paintings might sell tomorrow or might just go back with me to my village. There is no certainty.</h5>
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<p>While Ashish says much in so many words, there is Amit Kumar Jha, manning another shop in Dilli Haat, who does not mince words.&nbsp;</p>

<p>Amit says, &ldquo;I have been painting for 15 years and I have got a chance to showcase at Dilli Haat for the first time, and that too I have been given a shop in an unnoticeable corner. I wrote several letters to the head office to change the location of my shop but they paid no heed. They only do favours for middlemen and not real artists like me.</p>

<p>&ldquo;I come from the birthplace of Madhubani--Jitwarpur village (same as Ashish Kumar&rsquo;s) and I can tell you that although demand has increased, the return on our paintings is abysmal.&nbsp;</p>

<p>&ldquo;There is no government support for artists like me. In most cases, owing to lack of resources and desired reach to the customer, we have to sell it to the middlemen at throwaway prices. They eat up the profits on our hard work&rdquo;, he adds with disappointment.&nbsp;</p>

<p>However, among the clan of painters, there are a few privileged ones too.&nbsp;</p>

<p>Devendra Kumar Jha is a National Awardee for Madhubani paintings from the same village who has even travelled to Milan with his paintings. He has showcased his work at Milan Fashion Week with government support and plans to head there this September too.&nbsp;</p>

<p>He says, &ldquo;There is no dearth of work in the market and especially for those who want to work. The industry is in great shape. There is a lot of profit in this business and there is ample government support for all artisans.&rdquo;&nbsp;</p>

<p>Devendra has been in the trade since 1992 and feels like a veteran in the industry. Not one to call out to the government or his work, he feels that those who complain are not working in the right spirit and want to earn money without putting any effort.&nbsp;</p>

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<p>This Madhubani painting called Mandala was initially a tattoo design that women got made on their bodies for the long lives of their husbands. (WION)</p>
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<p><strong>Challenges in the &lsquo;Art of Beauty&rsquo;</strong></p>

<p>Madhubani art or what is also called Mithila paintings by many, apart from being a much-toiled art also poses a challenge in the nature of its form. The painters draw with the help of their fingers, carefully selected and sharpened twigs, bamboo nib pens and sometimes even matchsticks. They make these pens with freshly peeled bamboo which are then sharpened with rocks and knives to get the desired curve. Ashish insists that his family uses only the needle-thin pen-like structure to draw.&nbsp;</p>

<p>Once the pen is secure, painters then make their daily needful of black colour which is used in maximum quantity. Until recently, Madhubani was restricted to the only black and white and was worldwide known for its retro and monochrome tones. The addition of colours in Madhubani paintings is fairly new and procuring them is quite a task for the craftspeople.&nbsp;</p>

<p>Arun Kumar, a Madhubani painter at Dilli Haat says, &ldquo;Biggest challenge for us is to get hold of the colours as we only use natural dyes and pigments. We make our own colours--all colours.&nbsp;</p>

<p>His brother Ashish Kumar adds, &ldquo;Green is made from a paste of leaves, orange from traditional vermilion and black from <em>dibiya</em> (a bottle full of kerosene oil with a wick on top used in villages) that runs all night to provide us with light. When it burns the entire night, it produces black smoke which we collect to condense and use as the black colour for our paintings. Black kajal (kohl) is also made out of it in many of our homes.&nbsp;</p>

<p>&nbsp;</p>

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<h5>All painters narrated their own way of making colours. While some got their black colour from dibiya, some from tawa (a kind of utensil) on which Indian chapati is made and others even swore by burning arwa (an Indian rice variety) to make their charcoal like paint.&nbsp;</h5>
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<p>Interestingly, all painters at Dilli Haat narrated their own way of making colours. While some got their black colour from <em>dibiya</em>, some from <em>tawa</em> (a kind of utensil) on which Indian chapati is made and others even swore by burning <em>arwa</em> (an Indian rice variety) to make their charcoal like paint.&nbsp;</p>

<p>Bright colours also have an interesting origin like a shade of blue comes from peeling Burgundy or orange from Katha (Catechu). &nbsp;</p>

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<p>Fishes are for good luck while Trees signify life and the Sun is for energy on Madhubani paintings (WION)</p>
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<p><strong>A Different History Than Told</strong></p>

<p>While many&nbsp;of us, living here in India,&nbsp;have already seen or owned at least one Madhubani painting, most of us don&rsquo;t know that the paintings weren&#39;t meant to be drawn on canvas or paper.&nbsp;</p>

<p>Madhubani paintings known for its geometrical designs, chronicling village lives and spiritual themes were&nbsp;originally a form of wall art; it&nbsp;was painted on freshly plastered mud walls and floors of huts in Madhubani villages of Bihar.&nbsp;</p>

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<h5>Originally, the paintings were made only by the women of Madhubani villages. It was their way of expression--speech of freedom. The paintings acted as a form of vent for the womenfolk who could draw their imagination, dreams, and future sans any restrictions.</h5>
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<p>Painters at Dilli Haat recite how travellers from Japan came visiting in earlier times to the village and spotted the mud houses with these beautiful paintings. They asked the painters to draw it on pieces of paper and carried it back to their country. Japan now has a &lsquo;Mithila Museum&rsquo; where Madhubani paintings have been preserved for an eternity. They felt strongly about it and wanted the world to see what Madhubani paintings looked like.&nbsp;</p>

<p>Another untold story around Madhubani is that of its women painters. Originally, the paintings were made only by the women of Madhubani villages. It was their way of expression--their speech of freedom. The paintings acted as a form of vent for the womenfolk who could draw their imagination, dreams, and future sans any restrictions.</p>

<p>The women painters also started a silent movement where caste barriers were done away with, as some drawings like that of deities were supposed to be drawn only by upper caste women while lower caste women could draw village life. In due time, this changed and now everyone can draw anything.&nbsp;</p>

<p>(WION)<br />
&nbsp;</p>


Beyond the story of struggle and success, Madhubani art carries in its bosom the promise of free speech

Enter Dilli Haat and you will be greeted with scores of shops dealing with Indian handicrafts, textiles and artefacts. A treasure trove for those looking for authentic Indian handmade goods, the place never disappoints. But behind the happy, cheerful faces of local craftsmen, are echoing tales of hope and despair. One such tiny shop is manned by Ashish Kumar from Madhubani in Bihar. As I enter his den, Ashish is seen showing the eponymous paintings to a prospective client, a foreigner visiting from England. Ashish is one amongst many traditional Madhubani painters who survive on their paintings for a living, and it’s not a very rosy picture for them as narrated by him. Struggling for Stability Ashish Kumar says, “I come from Jitwarpur village in Madhubani where there are close to 500-600 odd artisans. We all write applications to the Madhubani head office in Madhubani for government sanction and every year only 10-15 are selected. The government gives them (selected ones) TA/DA while helping the painters to put up a shop at a temporary location in the form of an exhibition or at places like Dilli Haat for 15 days. The only great thing in this arrangement is, that even if we don’t earn anything at times, we don’t lose our own money in the process as the basics are met with the help of the government.” Ashish Kumar has been painting since 9 years and has learnt Madhubani art from his father. “Everyone in our house is a painter; my mother, father, sisters, brothers, relatives, everybody. It runs in the blood of that area, we are born painters”, adds Ashish. Do the paintings compensate the painters fairly? Ashish offers me a proposition instead of answering directly. He says, “At the moment my most expensive paintings are for Rs. 80,000 on canvas and Rs. 65,000 on handmade paper. It took us almost 3.5 months to 3 months to make each as no painter paints for more than 2-3 hours a day. Pricing of each Madhubani depends on the size of the painting and the clarity of work. Also, any single painting is painted exclusively by one painter as no two hands are the same, and would lead to irregularities of design elements. This painting is priced at Rs. 80,000 and took about 3.5 months to make. It has different elements within one painting (WION) × “Now, these paintings might sell tomorrow or might just go back with me to my village. There is no certainty. “So even though there are considerable profit margins, selling the art is a tricky business”, he adds. These paintings might sell tomorrow or might just go back with me to my village. There is no certainty. × While Ashish says much in so many words, there is Amit Kumar Jha, manning another shop in Dilli Haat, who does not mince words. Amit says, “I have been painting for 15 years and I have got a chance to showcase at Dilli Haat for the first time, and that too I have been given a shop in an unnoticeable corner. I wrote several letters to the head office to change the location of my shop but they paid no heed. They only do favours for middlemen and not real artists like me. “I come from the birthplace of Madhubani--Jitwarpur village (same as Ashish Kumar’s) and I can tell you that although demand has increased, the return on our paintings is abysmal. “There is no government support for artists like me. In most cases, owing to lack of resources and desired reach to the customer, we have to sell it to the middlemen at throwaway prices. They eat up the profits on our hard work”, he adds with disappointment. However, among the clan of painters, there are a few privileged ones too. Devendra Kumar Jha is a National Awardee for Madhubani paintings from the same village who has even travelled to Milan with his paintings. He has showcased his work at Milan Fashion Week with government support and plans to head there this September too. He says, “There is no dearth of work in the market and especially for those who want to work. The industry is in great shape. There is a lot of profit in this business and there is ample government support for all artisans.” Devendra has been in the trade since 1992 and feels like a veteran in the industry. Not one to call out to the government or his work, he feels that those who complain are not working in the right spirit and want to earn money without putting any effort. This Madhubani painting called Mandala was initially a tattoo design that women got made on their bodies for the long lives of their husbands. (WION) × Challenges in the ‘Art of Beauty’ Madhubani art or what is also called Mithila paintings by many, apart from being a much-toiled art also poses a challenge in the nature of its form. The painters draw with the help of their fingers, carefully selected and sharpened twigs, bamboo nib pens and sometimes even matchsticks. They make these pens with freshly peeled bamboo which are then sharpened with rocks and knives to get the desired curve. Ashish insists that his family uses only the needle-thin pen-like structure to draw. Once the pen is secure, painters then make their daily needful of black colour which is used in maximum quantity. Until recently, Madhubani was restricted to the only black and white and was worldwide known for its retro and monochrome tones. The addition of colours in Madhubani paintings is fairly new and procuring them is quite a task for the craftspeople. Arun Kumar, a Madhubani painter at Dilli Haat says, “Biggest challenge for us is to get hold of the colours as we only use natural dyes and pigments. We make our own colours--all colours. His brother Ashish Kumar adds, “Green is made from a paste of leaves, orange from traditional vermilion and black from dibiya (a bottle full of kerosene oil with a wick on top used in villages) that runs all night to provide us with light. When it burns the entire night, it produces black smoke which we collect to condense and use as the black colour for our paintings. Black kajal (kohl) is also made out of it in many of our homes. All painters narrated their own way of making colours. While some got their black colour from dibiya, some from tawa (a kind of utensil) on which Indian chapati is made and others even swore by burning arwa (an Indian rice variety) to make their charcoal like paint. × Interestingly, all painters at Dilli Haat narrated their own way of making colours. While some got their black colour from dibiya, some from tawa (a kind of utensil) on which Indian chapati is made and others even swore by burning arwa (an Indian rice variety) to make their charcoal like paint. Bright colours also have an interesting origin like a shade of blue comes from peeling Burgundy or orange from Katha (Catechu). Fishes are for good luck while Trees signify life and the Sun is for energy on Madhubani paintings (WION) × A Different History Than Told While many of us, living here in India, have already seen or owned at least one Madhubani painting, most of us don’t know that the paintings weren't meant to be drawn on canvas or paper. Madhubani paintings known for its geometrical designs, chronicling village lives and spiritual themes were originally a form of wall art; it was painted on freshly plastered mud walls and floors of huts in Madhubani villages of Bihar. Originally, the paintings were made only by the women of Madhubani villages. It was their way of expression--speech of freedom. The paintings acted as a form of vent for the womenfolk who could draw their imagination, dreams, and future sans any restrictions. × Painters at Dilli Haat recite how travellers from Japan came visiting in earlier times to the village and spotted the mud houses with these beautiful paintings. They asked the painters to draw it on pieces of paper and carried it back to their country. Japan now has a ‘Mithila Museum’ where Madhubani paintings have been preserved for an eternity. They felt strongly about it and wanted the world to see what Madhubani paintings looked like. Another untold story around Madhubani is that of its women painters. Originally, the paintings were made only by the women of Madhubani villages. It was their way of expression--their speech of freedom. The paintings acted as a form of vent for the womenfolk who could draw their imagination, dreams, and future sans any restrictions. The women painters also started a silent movement where caste barriers were done away with, as some drawings like that of deities were supposed to be drawn only by upper caste women while lower caste women could draw village life. In due time, this changed and now everyone can draw anything. (WION)

Women's dreams take the form of Madhubani art

<p>NEEDS CHANGES. PLS DONT PUT UP TILL I CLEAR.</p>

<p>ANURADHA</p>

<p>&nbsp;</p>

<p>India has been struggling to safeguard its rich heritage. It loses thousands of antiques each year to art thieves. The illicit business of smuggling of Indian antiques seems to survive till date,&nbsp;despite&nbsp;having a strict law to protect ancient artefacts of the country.<br />
&nbsp;<br />
Although the intention of Antiquities and Art Treasure Act, 1972 was to safeguard India&#39;s heritage, it has proven ineffective and counterproductive.<br />
&nbsp;<br />
Indian art and cultural historian and museologist, Jyotindra Jain said though the act was meant to safeguard India&#39;s ancient heritage, the registration process it put in place has proven to be counterproductive.<br />
&nbsp;<br />
&quot;Registration was a very complicated process. And after the period of grace that was given was over many people were not registered. It was then considered crime. So people began to burn things. They began to hide them. People began to smuggle those things,&quot; he said.</p>

<p>Under the Act, only about 5 lakh antiques are registered, while millions of others remain unnoticed. That has meant an industrial-scale loot of India&rsquo;s ancient heritage.<br />
&nbsp;<br />
For instance, according to the ministry of culture&rsquo;s records, 101 antiques were stolen between 2000 and 2016 from 3,650 protected historical monuments around the country.<br />
&nbsp;<br />
Data from the National Crime Records, however, is far more alarming. It records over 4,000 cases of &#39;cultural property&#39; stolen between 2010 and 2014. An overwhelming number of these are yet to be resolved.</p>

<p>With the urge to liberalise this act, since 1985, the Archaeological Survey of India has sought to make several amendments to the Antiquities and Art Treasure Act to make it more effective. Joint director general of the ASI, RS Fonia, said the process of amending the Act is still ongoing.<br />
&nbsp;<br />
&quot;It is in final stage. Necessary clauses, provisions will be made to make it very effective and implementable,&quot; he said.</p>

<p>According to the Comptroller and Auditor General (CAG) of India, ASI does not maintain a database of the number of antiquities in its possession and did not try to bring back any stolen artefacts between 2000 and 2013. Fonia said ASI is taking this into the account on the process of amending the act.<br />
&nbsp;<br />
&quot;We are making that registration process very simple. Once the database is in uniform template, it will be very easy to trace lost antiques. It will help the law enforcing agencies in bringing back stolen antiquities,&quot; he said.&nbsp;</p>

<p>While the ASI has largely failed to recover India&rsquo;s stolen treasures, the efforts of some determined citizens like Anurag Saxena, the founder of India Pride Project, and others, have offered some hope over the past two years.&nbsp;</p>

<p>The group investigates and identifies&nbsp;India&rsquo;s stolen antiques and make efforts to bring those back to the country. India has recently got back more than 200 antiquities, mostly linked to the network of New York-based smuggler Subhash Kapoor, who was arrested in 2011.&nbsp;<br />
&nbsp;<br />
To preserve Indian antiquity experts believe that with a strict law to crack down on export, India also needs to open up a hassle-free domestic market within the country, which ASI says will be guaranteed with the new amendments to the Antiquities and Art Treasure Act.</p>

<p>Apart from legal changes, public awareness about the importance of ancient artefacts is crucial to preserve India&rsquo;s heritage. Dr.Jyotindra Jain says to prevent further smuggling, and bring back what was already stolen, it is also important to create a society that cares about these priceless antiques. &nbsp;<br />
&nbsp;<br />
&quot;This is theft. Police can limit it to some extent. But I think that along with police action, we should also develop programmes for generating awareness and pride about our heritage,&rdquo; he said.<br />
&nbsp;<br />
But this is much more than just culture. Trade in stolen antiquities is worth several billion dollars annually, and often this money becomes a source of criminal and terrorist funding. Authorities say&nbsp;looted artefacts are one of the major sources of funding terrorism. As terrorism in South Asia is on the&nbsp;rise, it gives all the more reasons for India to fight against smuggling of Indian artefacts.</p>

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<p>For years, experts have been calling for efforts to protect India&rsquo;s ancient artifacts from art thieves. The archaeological survey of India is now said to be mulling legal changes to simplify the registration process for artifacts (WION)</p>
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India has been struggling to safeguard its rich heritage. It loses thousands of antiques each year to art thieves

NEEDS CHANGES. PLS DONT PUT UP TILL I CLEAR. ANURADHA India has been struggling to safeguard its rich heritage. It loses thousands of antiques each year to art thieves. The illicit business of smuggling of Indian antiques seems to survive till date, despite having a strict law to protect ancient artefacts of the country. Although the intention of Antiquities and Art Treasure Act, 1972 was to safeguard India's heritage, it has proven ineffective and counterproductive. Indian art and cultural historian and museologist, Jyotindra Jain said though the act was meant to safeguard India's ancient heritage, the registration process it put in place has proven to be counterproductive. "Registration was a very complicated process. And after the period of grace that was given was over many people were not registered. It was then considered crime. So people began to burn things. They began to hide them. People began to smuggle those things," he said. Under the Act, only about 5 lakh antiques are registered, while millions of others remain unnoticed. That has meant an industrial-scale loot of India’s ancient heritage. For instance, according to the ministry of culture’s records, 101 antiques were stolen between 2000 and 2016 from 3,650 protected historical monuments around the country. Data from the National Crime Records, however, is far more alarming. It records over 4,000 cases of 'cultural property' stolen between 2010 and 2014. An overwhelming number of these are yet to be resolved. With the urge to liberalise this act, since 1985, the Archaeological Survey of India has sought to make several amendments to the Antiquities and Art Treasure Act to make it more effective. Joint director general of the ASI, RS Fonia, said the process of amending the Act is still ongoing. "It is in final stage. Necessary clauses, provisions will be made to make it very effective and implementable," he said. According to the Comptroller and Auditor General (CAG) of India, ASI does not maintain a database of the number of antiquities in its possession and did not try to bring back any stolen artefacts between 2000 and 2013. Fonia said ASI is taking this into the account on the process of amending the act. "We are making that registration process very simple. Once the database is in uniform template, it will be very easy to trace lost antiques. It will help the law enforcing agencies in bringing back stolen antiquities," he said. While the ASI has largely failed to recover India’s stolen treasures, the efforts of some determined citizens like Anurag Saxena, the founder of India Pride Project, and others, have offered some hope over the past two years. The group investigates and identifies India’s stolen antiques and make efforts to bring those back to the country. India has recently got back more than 200 antiquities, mostly linked to the network of New York-based smuggler Subhash Kapoor, who was arrested in 2011. To preserve Indian antiquity experts believe that with a strict law to crack down on export, India also needs to open up a hassle-free domestic market within the country, which ASI says will be guaranteed with the new amendments to the Antiquities and Art Treasure Act. Apart from legal changes, public awareness about the importance of ancient artefacts is crucial to preserve India’s heritage. Dr.Jyotindra Jain says to prevent further smuggling, and bring back what was already stolen, it is also important to create a society that cares about these priceless antiques. "This is theft. Police can limit it to some extent. But I think that along with police action, we should also develop programmes for generating awareness and pride about our heritage,” he said. But this is much more than just culture. Trade in stolen antiquities is worth several billion dollars annually, and often this money becomes a source of criminal and terrorist funding. Authorities say looted artefacts are one of the major sources of funding terrorism. As terrorism in South Asia is on the rise, it gives all the more reasons for India to fight against smuggling of Indian artefacts. For years, experts have been calling for efforts to protect India’s ancient artifacts from art thieves. The archaeological survey of India is now said to be mulling legal changes to simplify the registration process for artifacts (WION) ×

Are India's ancient artefacts in safe hands?

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