Recently, 1,440 smuggled antiquities seized by US authorities returned to India.
One of the returned sculptures is a Celestial Dancer, stolen from a temple in Madhya Pradesh in the early 1980s and another is the Tanesar Mother Goddess, taken from the village of Tanesara-Mahadeva in Rajasthan in the early 1960s.
An antiquityrefers to any object, article, or work of art that is at least 100 years old.
According to India’s Antiquities and Art Treasures Act (AATA) 1972, it includes items like coins, sculptures, paintings, manuscripts, or any article illustrating history, science, art, religion or culture.
The UNESCO 1970 Convention defines “cultural property” as items with importance for archaeology, history, literature, art, or science.
To combat fake antiquities, the National Mission on Monuments and Antiquities has registered a significant number of items to ensure authenticity and curb illegal activities.
India can seek the return of antiquities in three categories:
Pre-independence: Items taken before 1947.
Post-independence (until 1976): Items taken before the AATA came into effect.
Post-1976: Items taken after the AATA’s enforcement.
For items in the second and third categories, India can request their return using proof of ownership and the UNESCO convention.
The Antiquities and Art Treasures Act (AATA): Only the Central Government or authorized agencies can export antiquities or art treasures. No one can sell or offer to sell antiquities unless they have a license, which is granted by the Archaeological Survey of India (ASI). After the AATA was enacted, the government required traders and individuals to declare their antiquities by June 5, 1976 and July 5, 1976, respectively.
