An 1800-year-old artifact returns home.
Germany recently sent this pre-Islamic limestone sculpture back to the Afghanistan National Museum.
The piece dates to 200 AD and features what are believed to be audience members with their faces turned left, watching Buddha on his throne.
The museum director says it is one of about 70,000 pieces looted from the museum during the 1990's civil war.
(SOUNDBITE) (English) DIRECTOR OF AFGHANISTAN'S NATIONAL MUSEUM OMARA KHAN MASSOUDI, SAYING:
"I am optimistic that in the future we will get the other artifacts back. Also, all these were the result of our good relations with some museum, some very, very famous museums, and also with the UNESCO. I hope in future we will have another example of an artifact returning back to Afghanistan."
The director says more than 8,000 artifacts have been returned since 2007 with the help of UNESCO and Interpol.
Lindsey Parietti, Reuters
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