Bring Back the Artifacts: Benin Bronzes and Cultural Theft

Bring Back the Artifacts: Benin Bronzes and Cultural Theft

The British Museum in London holds 928 Benin Bronzes—the world's largest collection.

They were not purchased. They were not donated. They were stolen.

In February 1897, British soldiers invaded the Kingdom of Benin, deposed its king, and looted approximately 3,000 bronze plaques, ivory carvings, and ceremonial objects from the royal palace.

These weren't primitive artifacts. They were sophisticated works of art that stunned European scholars—so refined that some initially refused to believe Africans had made them.

128 years later, the British Museum still displays them behind glass, while Nigeria demands their return.

This is the story of Africa's cultural theft—and the fight to reclaim it.

The 1897 Benin Expedition: A "Punitive" Raid

The Pretext

By the late 1800s, Britain controlled much of the Nigerian coast but not the Kingdom of Benin, a powerful state that had existed for over 600 years.

Benin's Oba (king), Ovonramwen, resisted British demands to open his kingdom to trade and cede sovereignty. The British wanted access to Benin's palm oil, rubber, and ivory—and they wanted to end the kingdom's independence.

In January 1897, a British delegation attempting to enter Benin City without the Oba's permission was attacked. Several British officers were killed.

The British response was swift and overwhelming.

The Invasion

In February 1897, a force of 1,200 British marines and soldiers launched what they called a "punitive expedition."

They burned villages as they advanced. When they reached Benin City, they:

• Deposed the Oba and sent him into exile

• Burned the royal palace and much of the city

• Systematically looted every object of value

The loot included:

• Bronze plaques that once decorated palace walls

• Carved ivory tusks commemorating royal history

• Brass heads of past Obas and Queen Mothers

• Ceremonial objects including staffs, bells, and regalia

• Coral beads, textiles, and jewelry

British officers divided the spoils among themselves. The rest was shipped to London and sold at auction to fund the expedition itself.

The message was clear: Africa's cultural heritage was collateral for its own conquest.

What Are the Benin Bronzes?

Masterpieces of African Art

The "Benin Bronzes" are actually made from various materials—brass, bronze, ivory, coral, wood, and terracotta. The name stuck because of the famous brass plaques.

The plaques (Ama):

• Over 900 rectangular brass plaques

• Depicted court life, ceremonies, warriors, and Portuguese traders

• Originally covered the pillars and walls of the royal palace

• Date from the 15th to 17th centuries

Commemorative heads:

• Cast brass heads of Obas and Queen Mothers

• Placed on ancestral altars

• Among the most technically sophisticated metal castings in pre-industrial history

Ivory tusks:

• Carved with historical scenes and royal iconography

• Mounted on commemorative heads

• Recorded the kingdom's history

Technical achievement:

The Benin bronzes demonstrated mastery of lost-wax casting—a technique Europeans assumed Africans couldn't possess. The detail and artistry rivaled or exceeded contemporary European metalwork.

When they arrived in Europe, scholars were so impressed they initially theorized the bronzes must have been made by Portuguese or other European craftsmen. They couldn't accept that African artists had created them.

They had. The Edo people of Benin had been producing such works for centuries.

Where Are They Now?

The Global Scatter

After the 1897 raid, the bronzes were dispersed across the world:

Total in foreign hands: Approximately 3,000+ objects

In Nigeria: A fraction—mostly pieces returned in recent years or purchased back.

The largest concentration remains in British institutions—the country that stole them.

The Repatriation Movement

Decades of Demands

Nigeria has formally requested the return of the bronzes since at least 2002, when the Benin Royal Palace and Federal Ministry of Information and Culture wrote to institutions worldwide.

For years, the response was silence or rejection.

The Dam Breaks (2022-2025)

Starting in 2022, momentum shifted dramatically:

Germany (2022):

• First country to transfer ownership of its entire collection

• 512 objects from Berlin's Ethnological Museum

• First batch of 22 objects physically returned in December 2022

• Germany acknowledged the bronzes were "looted art"

United States (2022):

• Smithsonian Institution drafted its first restitution policy

• Announced return of 29 bronzes from National Museum of African Art

United Kingdom (2022):

• Horniman Museum became first UK public institution to repatriate

• Returned 72 objects to Nigeria

Scotland:

• Glasgow City Council voted to return 17 bronzes

• Aberdeen University returned a bronze head in 2021

Netherlands (2025):

• Returned 119 Benin Bronzes—one of the largest single repatriations

• Ceremony held at Wereldmuseum in Leiden, February 2025

• Physical handover in Lagos, June 2025

Museum of Fine Arts, Boston (2025):

• Returned two bronzes directly to the Oba of Benin

The British Museum Holds Out

Despite the global movement, the British Museum refuses to return its 928 bronzes.

Their defense: the British Museum Act 1963, which prohibits the museum from "deaccessioning" (removing) objects from its collection.

Critics note:

• Parliament could amend the law if it chose to

• The museum has found ways to transfer objects when it wanted to

• The Act was not designed to protect stolen property

• The museum deaccessioned 29 plaques in 1950-51, calling them "duplicates"

The museum's position: the bronzes serve as "cultural ambassadors" and should remain in a "universal museum" accessible to all.

Nigeria's position: they are stolen property and belong to the people of Benin.

The Ownership Question

Who Should Receive Returned Bronzes?

A complex debate has emerged within Nigeria about who should receive returned objects:

Three claimants:

1. The Oba of Benin (Ewuare II): Traditional ruler, descendant of the king from whom the bronzes were stolen

1. Edo State Government: The state where Benin City is located; planned to build a museum

1. Federal Government of Nigeria: Claims national authority over cultural heritage through the National Commission for Museums and Monuments

Resolution (May 2023):

Nigerian President Bola Tinubu signed a decree recognizing the Oba as the owner of any returned Benin Bronzes.

This resolved the domestic dispute but raised new concerns:

• The Oba can keep returned objects in his palace with no obligation to display them publicly

• No requirement for federal funding for a museum

• No restrictions on what the Oba may do with the bronzes

Some Western museums have hesitated, uncertain whether returned objects will be accessible to the public or preserved in museum conditions.

The Benin Royal Museum

Plans are underway for a Benin Royal Museum near the palace grounds to house returned bronzes. Construction is ongoing, with returned objects currently stored at the National Museum in Benin City.

Beyond Benin: Africa's Looted Heritage

The Scale of the Problem

The Benin Bronzes are the most famous case, but they represent a fraction of Africa's stolen cultural heritage.

Estimates suggest:

• Over 90% of Africa's cultural heritage is held outside the continent

• Major European museums hold millions of African objects

• Many were taken during colonial conquests, "scientific expeditions," or simply purchased from colonial administrators who had no right to sell them

Other Major Collections

Ethiopian artifacts:

• British troops looted Maqdala (Magdala) in 1868 after defeating Emperor Tewodros II

• Treasures included ancient manuscripts, royal crowns, religious objects

• Victoria and Albert Museum holds significant Ethiopian collections

• Return of a sacred Tabot (altar tablet) from Scotland occurred in 2023

Asante gold:

• British looted the Asante Kingdom (Ghana) in 1874 and 1896

• Gold regalia, including the famous Asante crown, taken

• Much remains in the British Museum and Wallace Collection

Kongo/Congolese art:

• Belgium holds vast collections from Congo

• Royal Museum for Central Africa in Tervuren contains thousands of objects

• Many taken during Leopold II's brutal rubber regime

Maasai and Kenyan artifacts:

• Taken during British colonial administration

• Collections scattered across European museums

Nok terracottas (Nigeria):

• Ancient sculptures (500 BC - 200 AD)

• Heavily looted and smuggled in recent decades

• Now in collections worldwide, often with falsified provenance

The French Report

In 2018, French President Emmanuel Macron commissioned a report on African cultural heritage in French museums.

The Sarr-Savoy Report found:

• 90,000 African objects in French museums

• 70,000 in the Musée du Quai Branly alone

• Most acquired during the colonial period

• Recommended permanent return of objects taken by force

France has since returned some objects to Benin (the country) and Senegal, but implementation has been slow.

Arguments For and Against Repatriation

The Case for Return

1. They were stolen

• Not purchased, not gifted—taken by military force

• No legal or moral basis for continued possession

2. Cultural identity

• These objects embody the history, spirituality, and identity of their source communities

• Separation causes ongoing harm

3. Historical justice

• Return is partial redress for colonial violence

• Keeping them perpetuates colonial relationships

4. Africa can care for them

• Nigerian museums exist and function

• The Oba has preserved royal traditions for centuries

• The idea that Africans can't care for their own heritage is itself colonial

The Case Against Return (as museums make it)

1. Universal museums

• Objects in major museums are "held in trust for humanity"

• Everyone can see them in one place

2. Preservation concerns

• Security and climate control may be lacking

• Objects might be damaged or lost

3. Legal constraints

• Laws like the British Museum Act prevent deaccessioning

• Clear title is complicated

4. Slippery slope

• Returning everything would empty Western museums

Why These Arguments Fail

"Universal museums":

• Millions of Africans can't afford to visit London or Berlin

• The "universal" museum serves Western audiences, not humanity

• It's easy to call theft "universal" when you're the thief

Preservation:

• Africa has museums that properly preserve artifacts

• Objects survived centuries in Benin before the British arrived

• This argument assumes African incompetence

Legal constraints:

• Laws can be changed

• Britain passed the Holocaust (Return of Cultural Objects) Act 2009 to return Nazi-looted art

• They could do the same for colonial loot if they wanted to

Slippery slope:

• Good. If objects were stolen, they should be returned

• Museums can display reproductions, loans, or objects with clean provenance

What Repatriation Means

More Than Objects

Repatriation is not just about moving physical objects from one building to another.

It's about:

Acknowledging history: Admitting that colonialism was theft, not civilization

Restoring dignity: Returning to communities what was taken by force

Enabling research: African scholars can study their own heritage

Cultural continuity: Objects can resume their roles in living traditions

Economic opportunity: Cultural tourism benefits source communities

The Spiritual Dimension

Many looted objects are not "art" in the Western sense—they are sacred objects with ongoing spiritual significance.

Benin bronze heads were placed on ancestral altars. They connected the living with the dead. Removing them didn't just take metal—it severed spiritual relationships.

For the Oba and Edo people, return means restoring objects to their proper ritual context—not just putting them in a Nigerian museum instead of a British one.

The Road Ahead

What Must Happen

1. Change British law

• Amend the British Museum Act to allow repatriation

• Parliament has done this for Nazi-looted art; they can do it for colonial loot

2. Comprehensive audits

• Every major museum must audit its African collections

• Provenance research should determine how objects were acquired

3. Unconditional return

• Stop attaching conditions about how returned objects must be displayed

• Once returned, they belong to their owners—full stop

4. Support African museums

• Fund infrastructure if genuinely concerned about preservation

• Train African conservators

• But don't make return contingent on meeting Western standards

5. Address private collections

• Museums are just part of the problem

• Private collectors hold countless African objects

• Auction houses continue to sell them

Progress in 2025

The momentum is real:

• Germany: First batch of Cameroonian artifacts expected September 2025

• Netherlands: Investigating requests from Sri Lanka, India, and Indonesia in addition to Nigeria

• France: Continuing (slowly) to implement Sarr-Savoy recommendations

• African voices: Growing louder and harder to ignore

But the British Museum—holder of the world's largest Benin collection—remains unmoved.

The Bigger Picture

The Benin Bronzes are not just about art or history. They are about power.

For over a century, Western museums displayed the treasures of conquered peoples as proof of European supremacy. The message: we are civilized enough to appreciate your art; you were not civilized enough to keep it.

Repatriation reverses that narrative.

It says: these objects belong to the people who made them. The violence that scattered them across the world does not confer legitimate ownership. And Africa has the right—and the capacity—to determine its own cultural destiny.

As Olugbile Holloway, Director-General of Nigeria's National Commission for Museums and Monuments, said at the 2025 Netherlands handover:

"These are the embodiments of the spirit and identity of the people from which they were taken."

Spirit and identity, taken by force, held in foreign vaults for 128 years.

It's time to bring them home.

Key Statistics

Timeline: Benin Bronzes Repatriation

FAQ: Benin Bronzes and African Artifacts

1. What are the Benin Bronzes?

Approximately 3,000 brass plaques, bronze heads, ivory carvings, and ceremonial objects looted from the Kingdom of Benin (now Nigeria) by British forces in 1897.

2. Why won't the British Museum return them?

They cite the British Museum Act 1963, which prohibits removing objects from the collection. Critics note Parliament could change this law.

3. How many bronzes has Nigeria gotten back?

Several hundred through recent repatriations from Germany, Netherlands, US institutions, and UK museums (except the British Museum).

4. Who owns returned bronzes in Nigeria?

A 2023 presidential decree recognized the Oba of Benin as the owner of returned objects.

5. Were the bronzes really made by Africans?

Yes. The Edo people of Benin had been producing sophisticated metal castings for centuries before European contact.

6. What about other African artifacts?

Over 90% of Africa's cultural heritage is estimated to be held outside the continent. Major collections exist in France, UK, Germany, Belgium, and the US.

7. Can African museums properly preserve the bronzes?

Nigeria has functioning museums and has preserved artifacts for decades. The assumption that only Western institutions can care for objects is itself a colonial attitude.

8. What is the Sarr-Savoy Report?

A 2018 French government report recommending permanent return of African objects acquired during colonialism. It found 90,000 African objects in French museums.

9. Has France returned any artifacts?

Yes, some objects have returned to Benin (the country) and Senegal, but implementation has been slow.

10. What happens to the bronzes when they return?

Some will be displayed at the planned Benin Royal Museum; others may remain in the Oba's palace for ceremonial use. The Oba decides—as is his right.

Sources

• British Museum official statements

• Nigeria National Commission for Museums and Monuments

• Sarr-Savoy Report (France, 2018)

• Smithsonian Institution

• German Federal Government statements

• Netherlands Ministry of Culture

• Artnet News

• Al Jazeera

• Shook, Hardy & Bacon legal analysis

• Center for Art Law