The ongoing debate about restituting jewels looted by the United Kingdom during the colonial era took a fresh turn this Thursday. The British Museum and the Victoria & Albert Museum (V&A) have agreed to a temporary return arrangement with the current representative of the Asante kingdom in Ghana. Nearly thirty gold objects—taken from their rightful owners in the 19th century—are set to be returned in the near term. This agreement marks a new milestone in the long history of repatriation, opening possibilities for similar arrangements with museums in other countries that seek the return of invaluable cultural treasures, including Greece and Nigeria.
The pact, reached with Otumfuo Osei Tutu II, the Asante king, establishes an initial period of three years, with the option to renew indefinitely. The British Museum will hand over 15 pieces, while the V&A will return 17 more items, encompassing insignia, rings, swords, and other gold objects tied to Asante rites and ceremonies over generations. Nana Oforiatta Ayim, a special adviser to Ghana’s Minister of Culture, called the move a positive starting point and emphasized that it also embodies reparation and remembrance for the violence endured by the Asante people (BBC).
Return of assets
The heads of both institutions expressed a willingness to negotiate further similar agreements as a way to temporarily restore cultural heritage to its countries of origin, noting that current British law prohibits definitive ownership transfers at this time. Tristram Hunt, director of the V&A, remarked that a responsible approach means considering how to share these objects more fairly today and ensuring that plundered items are treated with due respect for their origins.
Several agreements may arise from ongoing talks between individuals or institutions rather than governments. A recurring concern among affected nations is that accepting loan arrangements at the national level could compromise private ownership claims to looted relics in the future. Museum officials defended this temporary solution, even as critics feared that such deals could be used to justify preserving worn and disputed artifacts in the United Kingdom for longer periods. Critics also warned that these arrangements might dilute the purpose of major institutions like the British Museum or the V&A. Hunt acknowledged that only a small fraction of the roughly three million objects in these collections are disputed, but he argued that the approach remains a prudent step toward broader accountability (BBC).
Changes in the law
Looking ahead, the possibility of wider reciprocal deals exists, though substantial legal changes in Britain appear unlikely in the near term. Both major political parties have shown limited appetite for sweeping reforms to permit the instant, unconditional return of centuries of plundered heritage. This reality feeds ongoing tensions with the countries most affected by these losses.
The most recent flare-up involved a dispute between Prime Minister Rishi Sunak and Greece’s prime minister regarding the Parthenon marbles. The British government criticized Greek officials after a meeting was postponed, even as Greece urged the return of the marbles. The dispute spilled into diplomatic channels, with public gestures and statements complicating the path to resolution. Despite mounting pressure, officials in Britain have signaled that a rapid change in policy is unlikely, at least in the near term (BBC).
George Osborne, former chancellor of the exchequer for the British Museum and current chair of its board, has framed the goal as achievable through a practical and rational process that prioritizes incremental moves toward restitution while avoiding political stalemates. Hunt echoed this sentiment, viewing the three-way arrangement to temporarily return the Asante jewels as a way to advance restitution without being entangled in broader political disputes. It signals a shift toward dialogue and pragmatic solutions when long-term legal pathways remain uncertain (BBC).