The Ethiopian Heritage Authority has reclaimed historic treasures looted by the British army from Maqdala 158 years ago, including strands of Emperor Tewodros II’s hair and a golden hand cross once gifted by the Emperor to a European friend. The artifacts had been preserved for decades at the Lancaster Military Museum.
The King’s Own Royal Regiment Museum Trust in Lancaster, England, repatriated the items during a handover ceremony that included a memorial service honoring Emperor Tewodros II, Prince Alemayehu Tewodros, and all Ethiopians who lost their lives during the historic battle.
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The successful return of these treasures was the culmination of a lengthy process involving years of persistent advocacy by various institutions and individuals. Key institutional actors included the Royal Ethiopian Trust, the Crown Council of Ethiopia, and the Ethiopian Heritage Authority.
Crucial individual contributions came from Eyob Derillo, an Ethiopian scholar who spent the past two years leading the cataloging and coordination of Ethiopian artifacts held at the King’s Own Royal Regiment Museum, Alula Pankhurst(PhD), a British origin longtime advocate of the restitution of Ethiopian heritage, and Prince Ermias Sahle-Selassie Haile Selassie, President of the Crown Council of Ethiopia.
Professor Abebaw Ayalew, Director General of the Ethiopian Heritage Authority, described the repatriation as a model for other institutions around the world, encouraging them to follow Lancaster’s lead by returning sacred and cultural Ethiopian treasures still held in their collections. Despite this victory, numerous Ethiopian treasures remain scattered across various European museums.
In a statement, Prince Ermias emphasized the need to restore sacred and cultural treasures to their rightful homeland, while expressing deep appreciation to the Lancaster museum for its cooperation and goodwill.
