British Museum To Loan Back Looted Gold Artefacts To Ghana After 150 Years

The British Museum will return 15 looted gold artefacts to Ghana under a new three-year loan deal.

The deal agreed with Otumfo Osei Tutu II, the current Asante king known as the Asantehene, will see the treasures return to Ghana 150 years after they were taken at the end of the third Anglo-Asante War in 1874.

The Victoria & Albert Museum (V&A) will also loan back a total of 17 pieces, hoping to bring forth “a new sense of cultural co-operation” as Ghana’s lead negotiator put it.

However, some have expressed concern that accepting the items on loan could be seen as acceptance of the UK’s ownership of the contested items.

International momentum continues to grow for museums and institutions to restore African artefacts from former colonial powers Britain, France, Germany and Belgium.

Other contested artefacts held by British museums include the Elgin Marbles of Greece, the Benin Bronzes of Nigeria, the Rosetta Stone of Egypt and the Koh-i-Noor of India.