Some of the 12 cultural items retrieved from overseas. [File photo/Xinhua]

BEIJING -- A collection of 12 antiquities and artworks retrieved from overseas has been allocated to the Tibet Museum in Lhasa, capital of Southwest China's Tibet autonomous region, according to a teleconference Sunday.

Starting in March, China's National Cultural Heritage Administration has tracked and identified these items as being illegally trafficked overseas and lodged a request for their repatriation. After a series of procedures, the 12 cultural items were returned and delivered to Beijing in July.

Following examination, experts determined that the earliest items date back to the Ming Dynasty (1368-1644), and show classic features of southwestern culture in Chinese history, along with high historical, artistic and scientific values.