The Man Who Stole the Gods: A round table discussion on the looting and restitution of Khmer antiquities
- Date & time
- –
- Location
- Russell Square: College Buildings / RG01
- Organisation
- SOAS
Topics
About this talk
Join us as we sit down with award-winning reporter Matthew Campbell to discuss his latest book The Man Who Stole the Gods: A True Story of War, Obsession, and a Global Art Conspiracy . We will also be joined by Professor Ashley Thompson and PhD student Pim Fitzpayne to explore issues raised by the book in relation to the art history and archaeology of Hindu-Buddhist Southeast Asia. Amidst the chaos of Cambodia’s brutal genocide, a new crime wave emerged—one that would sweep across borders and entangle the world’s most prestigious art institutions. Priceless treasures of the ancient Khmer Empire, the civilization that produced Angkor Wat, vanished from sacred temples, looted by smugglers and trafficked into the hands of elite collectors. At the center of it all was a man named Douglas Latchford. Known later as “Dynamite Doug” for the ruthless methods used to extract statues from temple ruins, Latchford orchestrated one of history’s most audacious cultural heists. From dusty Cambodian villages to the glittering auction houses of London and New York and institutions like the Met, he played a double game—posing as an expert on Khmer art while secretly flooding the market with stolen antiquities. In The Man Who Stole the Gods , award-winning journalist Matthew Campbell unravels the gripping, stranger-than-fiction story of Latchford’s criminal enterprise, and a global conspiracy of greed, corruption, and complicity—one that involves some of the world’s most powerful museums, collectors, and auction houses. A masterful blend of true crime, history, and investigative journalism, drawing on years of reporting and more than 100 interviews, The Man Who Stole the Gods is the definitive account of one man’s greed, an industry’s complicity, and the fight to expose the truth and restore stolen treasures to their rightful home. Organisers Jointly organized by CSEAS and the SOAS-Alphawood Asian Art Programme, this lecture series invites leading experts to share their latest insights and research on Hindu-Buddhist Southeast Asia. The series is hybrid in format consisting of both in-person and online lectures. This year’s series is convened by Dr Melissa Carlson | SOAS and Pim Fitzpayne | SOAS . Funding for this lecture series has been kindly provided by the Alphawood Foundation. Header image: Ray Rui via Unsplash
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