From Canberra to Phnom Penh: Collaborative Research and the Repatriation of Three Cham Bronzes
Year: 2026
Type: article
Abstract: In July 2023, the National Gallery of Australia in Canberra ceremonially repatriated three bronze bodhisattvas to the Kingdom of Cambodia. Produced in Campā between the 9th and 11th centuries and likely buried centuries later in southeastern Cambodia, the sculptures were returned following years of research into their findspot and provenance. The handover celebrated a decades-long relationship between the National Gallery and the National Museum of Cambodia in Phnom Penh and reflected broader shifts in museum practice, ethical decision-making, and collection management.
Source: Journal of the Siam Society
Author: Bronwyn Campbell
Institution: National Gallery of Australia
Language: English
Subfield: Cultural Studies
Field: Social Sciences
Domain: Social Sciences
Open Access status: diamond
OpenAlex ID: W7225615604