Norwegian businessman Morten Bosterud will return a 9th century head of Shiva God and a 12th century head of Male Divinity to Cambodia. The Cambodian Ministry of Foreign Affairs will also receive more Khmer pieces from the Norwegian private collector.
“Mr. Morten Bostered will hand over the two Cambodian artifacts and another 9 pieces of works of art to Cambodian Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Hor Namhong, with the presence of Cambodian Culture and Fine Arts Minister Pheoung Sackona in a ceremony on 20 October 2015 at the National Museum in Phnom Penh,” the Cambodian ministry tells in a news statement.
According to the statement, Morten Bosterud will be awarded with the Grand Cross of the Royal Order of Cambodia by Pheoung Sackona in appreciation for his gift of Cambodian artifacts to Cambodia after the hand over ceremony.
Numerous Cambodian ancient objects had been stolen from various temples and illegally exported to other countries during the 1970s when the country fell into civil war.
In the last three years, auction houses and museums in the United States had returned six looted ancient statues to Cambodia, while Thailand returned 16 smuggled ancient treasures to the country.
There is no information however on how the two pieces ended up in Bosterud’s private collection. 
Sources: www.khmertimeskh.com
