US returns stolen ancient Buddhist sculpture to Pakistan

The recovered relic, featuring "footprints of Buddha". Image via New York Post.

28th April 2016 

THE U.S. has returned a rare historical Buddhist sculpture worth US$1.1 million to Pakistan, which has been missing since 1982, when it was stolen from an archaeological dig.

The second-century Buddhapada tablet depicts “footprints of the Buddha” – a symbolic representation of when Buddha had once walked on the earth.

The 227kg slab’s whereabouts was unknown since it disappeared from an archaeological site in the Swat Region of Pakistan 34 years ago, until U.S. authorities arrested a 70-year-old Japanese antiquities dealer in New York City last month in connection to a scheme to smuggle the relic into the U.S.

Tatsuzo Kaku, from Tokyo, later pled guilty to criminal possession of stolen property, and told the court that he was motivated partly by a desire to protect Buddhist art from being neglected or destroyed in its country of origin.

According to the New York Post, after purchasing the statue back in 1982, Kaku allegedly smuggled the artifact to Japan and sold it to a private collector, and over several years, the sculpture switched ownership between Kaku and other antiquities collectors until he tried to sell it at prominent commercial arts event Asia Week New York, leading to his arrest.

Manhattan District Attorney Cy Vance, in his statement announcing the sculpture’s return to Pakistan, said:

“This sculpture and others like it are so much more than commercial property – they represent ancient pieces of history and culture that should be celebrated and vigorously protected.”

As the piece is considered “cultural property”, it is protected under Pakistani law, and Pakistani officials said that for the time being, the artifact will remain in New York and may be exhibited at a museum in the city.

Additional reporting by Associated Press