UK museums to send back looted gold artifacts to Ghana
CNN —
The United Kingdom sent back gold and silver artifacts looted from Ghana in the 19th century after a long-term loan agreement was struck.
The British Museum and the V&A will send items related to the Asante royal court to Ghana, where they will be displayed at the Manhyia Palace Museum in Kumasi, according to a press release from the UK museums Thursday.
Many items, including 13 pieces of Asante royal regalia, were looted during the Anglo-Asante wars. At the same time, some were part of an indemnity payment that the British forcibly extracted from the Asantehene, or Asante king. Others were sold at auction, entering private collections and museums worldwide.
Items displayed at the V&A in London were selected as “exemplars of the brilliant goldsmithing techniques practiced for centuries by the Asante royal goldsmiths” and served as inspiration for British artists and designers, reads the release.
Now they will be displayed in Ghana for the first time in 150 years, as part of an exhibition celebrating the 2024 Silver Jubilee of His Royal Majesty, the Asantehene, Osei Tutu II, as well as commemorating the Anglo-Asante War of 1873-74.
The items also include a small gold ornament in the shape of a sankuo, or lute-harp, and an ornament in the form of an eagle.
“Since the foundation of the Asante empire during the late 17th century, gold has been central to Asante identity, spirituality, and economic stability,” reads the release.
“Asante kings grew powerful on local gold deposits and the palace in Kumasi became the focal point for a lucrative international gold trade,” it adds.
Gold is also used to decorate the royal throne and the Asantehene himself, as well as high-ranking court officials, according to the release.
“These ornaments carry meaning beyond their material value. They are invested with the spirits of former Asante kings and their decoration can be read by those familiar with the visual lexicon,” it continues.
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