United States seeks to return 10th-century Chinese sculpture

March 30, 2000
Web posted at: 12:17 p.m. EST (1717 GMT)

NEW YORK (CNN) -- The United States is seeking the return to China of a stolen 10th-century Chinese sculpture worth more than $400,000 that was listed for sale by Christie's auction house in New York this month.

Authorities say the sculpture, a marble wall panel of a guardian, was stolen in 1994 from the Five Dynasties tomb of Wang Chuzi in China's northern Hebei Province. They say a Hong Kong gallery consigned it to Christie's in December, and U.S. Customs learned of it when the auction house published a picture of the sculpture in a catalog.

"After consulting with the owner and U.S. customs, Christie's withdrew the object in question from an Asian art sale," the auction house said in a statement. "We are holding the object at the request of the U.S. Attorney's office, and we are continuing to cooperate with the investigation."

On Wednesday, the U.S. Attorney's office for the Southern District of New York filed a civil forfeiture action seeking the return of the artifacts to China. Authorities allege the sculpture was one of 10 wall pieces illegally removed from the tomb, a state-owned cultural site. Its value is estimated at between $400,000 and $500,000.

"This action serves notice to traffickers in looted antiquities that these national treasures will be seized and returned to their rightful owners," said Raymond Kelley, commissioner of the U.S. Customs Service.

Police have not arrested anyone in connection to the theft.

Christie's

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