Handover of the wooden artifacts by the Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) to the Embassy of Nepal

Press Release

The Embassy of Nepal received today 40 Nepali wooden artifacts dating back to 19th-20th century from the Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) of the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) amidst a handover ceremony organized at the Embassy. These illegally exported artifacts from Nepal were confiscated in Honolulu, Hawaii by the United States Customs and Border Protection on August 18, 2010. The Government of Nepal had officially requested the Government of the United States to return these objects to Nepal in 2011.

On the occasion, Ambassador Sridhar Khatri extended his sincere thanks to the DHS, Department of State, media and art & heritage campaigners for their support and assistance in realizing the return of these important artifacts. He particularly appreciated and thanked the investigators and staff members of the DHS and HSI for their hard work and dedication in materializing the recovery of the artifacts handed over today and other artifacts that were recovered earlier. Likewise, Deputy Assistant Director of the Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) Ricardo Mayoral expressed his happiness on the successful return of these important artifacts to the Government of Nepal after long investigations. He also assured that the HSI will extend fullest cooperation to the Embassy for repatriation of other stolen and lost artifacts of Nepal. Similarly, Acting Deputy Assistant Secretary of the Department of State Scott Urbom stated that the United States will continue its cooperation and collaboration with Nepal to preserve and restore its rich art and architectural heritages. He said that the successful recovery of the illegally exported artifacts handed over today is just the latest example of such cooperation.

The trove of the artifacts handed over to the Embassy includes all together 39 engraved and painted wooden panels and a carved wooden shrine, among which the four panels were randomly selected for display during the handover ceremony. Photographs of other artifacts were displayed separately to give the audience a flavor of what the remaining pieces would look like. These precious Nepali artifacts are estimated to date back to the period between the 19th and 20th century. These artifacts signify various aspects of Lord Buddha’s life and his teachings as well as the Buddhist religious and cultural values and practices.

As part of its efforts to recover and repatriate the lost and stolen heritages of Nepal, the Embassy has been actively engaged with the relevant agencies of the governments of Nepal and the United States. The Embassy expresses its sincere thanks to all agencies and individuals involved in these endeavors, including art researchers, heritage recovery campaigners, media and private individuals.

Prior to this, the Embassy successfully repatriated to Nepal seven artifacts: stone statues of Uma Mahesvara, Chaturmukh Shivlinga, Nagaraja, Padmanpani and Shakyamuni Buddha on May 18, 2022; and wooden statue of Nritya Devi and standing stone statue of Lord Buddha on April 28, 2023. The Embassy will send the artifacts received today to the Department of Archaeology of Nepal as soon as possible.

Embassy of Nepal

Washington, D.C.

May 11, 2023