The Road to Destruction - How one man stole the divine
Summary
Investigative journalist Matthew Campbell discusses his book, *The Man Who Stole the Gods*, with host Ben Miller. They explore the illicit trafficking of Cambodian antiquities orchestrated by British dealer Douglas Latchford during the country's civil war. The episode examines how looted artifacts, like a 10th-century Shiva statue, were laundered into Western museums through manufactured provenance, highlighting the global conspiracy behind this cultural heist.
Topics discussed
Introduction to the art heist and guest Matthew Campbell
Rapid-fire questions on museums, shipping, and lost artifacts
The Curious Object: Shiva and Skanda Khmer sculpture
Douglas Latchford: Bodybuilder turned antiquities dealer
History of the Khmer Empire and Angkor Wat
Looting during the Cambodian Civil War and Khmer Rouge era
Latchford's network and the global trafficking pipeline
Legal loopholes, the 1970 UNESCO treaty, and museum complicity
National ownership debates and uncovering Latchford's records
Repatriation of artifacts and their cultural significance today
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