Ethiopia Repatriates Royal Artefacts Taken During Battle of Magdala After 158 Years

Mintesinot Niggusie

Ethiopia has received a set of royal artefacts linked to Emperor Tewodros II, marking the return of cultural items taken to Britain during the 19th-century Battle of Magdala and held abroad for 158 years.

The items include a gold arm bracelet, a lock of hair attributed to the emperor, and a fragment of traditional cloth, according to officials. The artefacts are part of a wider category of objects removed from Ethiopia in 1868 following the British expedition to Abyssinia and the capture of the Magdala fortress.

The Battle of Magdala has long been associated with extensive looting of imperial and religious items by British forces, with objects later dispersed across museums, libraries and private collections in the United Kingdom, including institutions such as the British Museum and the Bodleian Library.

Professor Abebaw Ayalew, General Director of Ethiopian Heritage Authority, said the repatriation was secured through sustained diplomatic engagement and formal agreements with relevant counterparts in the United Kingdom.

He said the return reflects ongoing efforts by the Ethiopian government to recover cultural heritage items taken under historical circumstances, adding that further negotiations would continue to bring back additional artefacts. Items linked to the emperor continue to hold strong symbolic significance in national memory and identity.