Some were jewel-encrusted diadems worn by Angkor royalty as far back as the ninth century. Other items were also treasured legacies of Cambodia’s past: belts and necklaces woven from fine gold filaments, or body ornaments shaped into rosettes and scrolling vines.
The stolen items belonged to British antiquities smuggler Douglas Latchford. Experts say they have never seen most of the jewelry before and are stunned by its existence.