Panel 1 | Biographies & Restitution of Hindu and Buddhist Objects from Java, Sumatra & Bali

Panel 1 – Chair: Stephen Murphy, Pratapaditya Pal Senior Lecturer in Curating and Museology of Asian Art, SOAS

Eko Bastiawan, Independent Researcher, Malang, Java (Member ERC DHARMA Project)
The story behind Prasasti Sangguran

Ayu Dipta Kirana, Archaeological Collections Manager, Museum Sonobudoyo, Yogyakarta
Preliminary Research on Circulation of the Resnik-Wilkens Collection in Sonobudoyo Museum

Ed McKinnon, Independent Archaeologist, Nalanda-Sriwijaya Centre, Singapore
A Hoard of Buddhist Bronzes from Buluh Cina, North Sumatra

Biographies and Restitution of Hindu and Buddhist Objects from Java, Sumatra and Bali was recorded on 18th May 2022.

This symposium examines the life stories of certain Hindu and Buddhist objects which originated from the islands of Java, Bali and Sumatra.

Nine international scholars are being brought together to consider certain issues surrounding such objects now to be found in various locations around the world. In particular, the discussions will focus on the biographies of such objects and the issues of their restitution.

This symposium addresses why certain objects were selected to be moved from their find-spots, how such objects passed from one location to another, and who were their major agents in the late 19th and early 20th centuries. Finally, it will touch on the various ethical issues surrounding such objects which occupy our deliberations today in the early 21st century.

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