The United States Hands Over 297 Ancient Artifacts to India

 

India-US Friendship

During Prime Minister Narendra Modi's recent visit to the United States, the U.S. returned 297 ancient artifacts to India. These artifacts are considered invaluable to India's rich cultural heritage. Prime Minister Modi expressed his gratitude to President Biden for returning these precious pieces of history.

It has been noted that these artifacts are not just a part of India’s ancient culture, but also represent the country's diversity, spirituality, and consciousness. Since 2014, a total of 640 ancient artifacts have been brought back to India. Of these, 578 pieces have been returned from the United States alone, marking the largest collection returned by any country.

The ancient artifacts are believed to be approximately 4,000 years old. Most of them are terracotta sculptures from Eastern India, while others are made of stone, bronze, wood, and metal from various regions of the country. According to the Ministry of External Affairs, the returned artifacts span from the 10th to the 18th century and include important works such as terracotta sculptures from the 3rd-4th century Eastern India, as well as bronze statues of Hindu deities from the 12th-18th century.

Among the significant items returned are a statue of Lord Vishnu from the 16th century, a bronze figure of a human from 2000 BC, and various sculptures of Lord Krishna and Lord Ganesha from different time periods.