A Journey of Restitution and Reconciliation for Ghanian Artifacts
The United Kingdom made a remarkable decision about artifacts that were taken from Ghana more than 150 years ago. The country took a commendable step towards righting a historical wrong by returning dozens of precious artifacts that had been looted from what is now Ghana over 150 years ago. These stolen treasures, consisting of 32 gold and silver artifacts, were sent on a long-term loan to Ghana by two prestigious institutions, the Victoria & Albert Museum (V&A) and the British Museum. The origin of these artifacts traced back to the 19th century when conflicts between the British and the powerful Asante people led to their theft from the court of the Asante king, known as the Asantehene. Among the returned treasures were a gold peace pipe, a sword of state, and gold badges worn by officials charged with cleansing the soul of the king. These gold artifacts held immense significance as they symbolized the Asante royal government and were believed to be invested with the spirit