A Buddhist Monastery in Nepal, the Itumbaha Monastery, has experienced a renaissance after receiving repatriated statues from two US museums. This has led to an increased interest in the monastery's 900-year history and the discovery of a hidden trove of Buddhist artifacts dating back to the 13th century. The monastery's new museum now houses 500 pieces, with 150 on display at any given time, and allows locals to touch, examine, and honor the objects as part of their religious activities. The repatriation of the artifacts is seen as a way to make amends for past art theft and black market antiquities trade in Nepal.

The post 11th-Century Monastery Gets Back Statues from Two US Museums–And Discovers Hundreds of Treasures in the Process appeared first on Balanced News Summary.