The returned artefacts are between 1800 and 4000 years of age and are an important part of national treasures. Their return is a result of a massive campaign held by Thai Ministry of Culture during the last years and aimed at encouraging collectors mostly from the US and Australia to bring back over 700 smuggled artefacts to their historical homeland. Last October, 12 more pieces were returned to Thailand by another American collector. Currently, the process is underway to call back home for over 250 other artefacts from US and US museums collections.
Ban Chiang is a town in the Northeastern Thailand in the province of Udon Thani. In 1966, first samples of Ban Chiang pottery were discovered which finally resulted in massive excavations that allowed to date artefacts found on spot as produced during the Bronze Age around 1000 BC. In 1992, Ban Chiang was declared a UNESCO heritage site. Currently tourists can visit Ban Chiang museum featuring a vast collection of local red pottery with unique designs and several excavation sites.
Ban Chiang Artefacts Return to Thailand
News in Asia
Over 46 pre-historic pieces from Ban Chiang were returned to Thailand by an Americal collector who is also a Thai doctor. The items were sent to the Foreign Ministry and will be eventually handed over to the Culture Minister.