• UGI USER
  • Dec 27, 2022
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Benin Bronze

Why in the News?

Germany has returned 20 Benin Bronzes that were looted in the 19th century to Nigeria.

  • The return of these precious artifacts took place after Germany in July 2022 signed an agreement with Nigeria, pledging to transfer the ownership of around 1,100 Benin Bronzes.

What is Benin Bronze?

  • The Benin Bronzes are a collection of more than 3,000 sculptures and works of art from the former Kingdom of Benin, which is now part of Nigeria. It has existed since at least the sixteenth century.
  • British colonial forces looted them during the historic invasion on Benin City in 1897.
  • A number of these works were expressly commissioned for the kingdom’s rulers, or obas, and queen mothers.
  • These artefacts shed light on the Benin Kingdom’s culture and interactions with its neighbouring states. Some of these items also allude to the interaction between the kingdom and Europeans.

Which other looted Artifacts have Countries Demanded to be Returned?

  • Koh-i-Noor diamond:
    • In pre-partition India and during the British Raj, the Koh-i-Noor has a long and illustrious history. It is rumoured that it was mined in what is now Andhra Pradesh.
    • Following the second Anglo-Sikh war, in which Punjab was annexed by the East India Company, Queen Victoria bought the diamond in 1849.
    • After the Last Treaty of Lahore was signed, the British took the diamond.
      • The Lahore treaty held between Lord Dalhousie and Maharaja Duleep Singh in 1849, Kohinoor diamond was surrendered by the Maharaja of Lahore to the Queen of England.
    • Rosetta Stone:
      • The Rosetta Stone is another prominent illustration. It is an ancient Egyptian stone that is currently on exhibit at the British Museum, and it contains the writings that served as the foundation for Egyptology.
      • The stone was found by Napoleon Bonaparte’s soldiers in 1799 as the emperor was on a campaign to conquer Egypt, close to the town of Rashid (Rosetta). After the British beat the French in 1801, it was given to them.