Part 9/15:
This passion is evident in the efforts to track stolen artifacts across borders, from Nepal's temples to Indian sacred sites and Chinese imperial treasures. The story of the bronze Shiva lingam stolen in 1984 from Nepal and its subsequent journey through Sotheby's auctions, private collections, and museums exemplifies how difficult it is to trace and recover stolen cultural property. Each case involves painstaking research, eyewitness testimony, and international cooperation, often taking years or even decades.