After 156 years, a historic shield belonging to Emperor Tewodros II has been returned to Ethiopia from the UK, marking a milestone in Ethiopia’s cultural heritage restitution efforts. The shield, looted during the 1868 Magdala War, was initially set to be auctioned but was pulled following interventions by the Ethiopian government, Ethiopian media reported Friday.
Officials from the Ethiopian Heritage Protection Authority and descendants of Magdala War veterans attended the ceremonial handover. The Royal Ethiopian Trust (RET) led the recovery process, negotiating with the UK-based auction house Anderson & Garland.
The Battle of Magdala, part of the British Expedition to Abyssinia, took place in April 1868 between forces led by British General Robert Napier and Emperor Tewodros II’s army. After his defeat, Tewodros II took his own life, and his son, Prince Alemayehu, was taken to Britain, where he passed away in 1879.
Numerous artifacts were seized by British forces following the battle, including religious and ceremonial items. The shield’s return is a significant win in Ethiopia’s ongoing campaign to reclaim its looted cultural treasures.
