Cambodian artifact returned

The U.S. government on Monday returned to Cambodia the head of an Angkor-era sculpture that had been stolen and smuggled out of the Southeast Asian country.

The artifact, weighing about 4 pounds, is a sandstone head of a celestial dancer, or apsara, from the 12th century, the U.S. Embassy said. It said the object was smuggled out of Cambodia into the U.S. in violation of a 2003 agreement between the two countries that aims to protect Cambodia’s cultural heritage. The statement did not say when the item was stolen.

Cambodia’s centuries-old stone monuments, especially those in the ancient capital of Angkor, suffered extensive destruction from both nature and looters especially during times of war over the last three decades. Many priceless pieces have ended up in the hands of private collectors overseas.