Gold of the Asante Kings: UK to return 'crown jewels' to Ghana 150 years after theft
Kyiv • UNN
The United Kingdom plans to return Ghana's stolen jewelry to Ghana on loan 150 years after it was taken from the court of King Asante. Among them are 17 exhibits from the Victoria and Albert Museum and 15 from the British Museum, including a ceremonial hat, a state sword and a smoking pipe. The artifacts will be exhibited at the Manhyia Palace Museum in Kumasi.
The United Kingdom plans to return some of the "crown jewels" to Ghana 150 years after they were stolen from the court of King Asante. This is reported by the BBC, UNN reports.
Details
As national museums in the UK are prohibited by law from permanently returning disputed items from their collections, a three-year loan agreement will be signed with the possibility of extension, which will allow the items to be returned to their countries of origin.
The Victoria and Albert Museum (V&A) plans to return 17 exhibits, and the British Museum - 15. The items include a smoking pipe, a state sword, and gold badges worn by high officials. Also among them is a ceremonial hat known as the Denkemke, richly decorated with gold ornaments. Most of them were captured during the 19th century wars between the British and the Asante.
The exhibits will be on display at the Manhyia Palace Museum in Kumasi, the capital of the Asante region, on the occasion of the silver jubilee of Asantehene.
V&A director Tristram Hunt, in a commentary to the BBC, called the gold items to be sent to Ghana the equivalent of the British monarchy's "crown jewels.
He said that when museums keep "objects that come from times of war and looting during military campaigns," they have a responsibility to the countries of origin and should think about how to become more just.
Context
The Asante gold artifacts are the main symbol of the royal government of Asante and are believed to contain the spirits of former kings. Other Asante gold items remain in the UK. In particular, the so-called Wallace Collection includes a trophy head, which is one of the most famous treasures of the Asante. It was also captured by British troops.
Their significance to Ghana can be compared to the Benin Bronzes, thousands of sculptures and plaques stolen by Britain from the palace of the Kingdom of Benin, in what is now southern Nigeria. Nigeria has been calling for their return for decades.
