{"id":6807,"date":"2025-04-24T04:45:07","date_gmt":"2025-04-24T04:45:07","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/worldarchaeologicalcongress.com\/wac10\/?page_id=6807"},"modified":"2025-04-24T10:15:22","modified_gmt":"2025-04-24T10:15:22","slug":"t02-s05-papers","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/worldarchaeologicalcongress.com\/wac10\/t02-s05-papers\/","title":{"rendered":"T02\/S05: Restitution: Gift, Tokenism or Serious Engagement?"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

Format: Paper Presentations with discussion<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

This general session provides an overview of the issue of restitution across various contexts, countries and controversies.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Convenors:<\/strong>
Dr Shea Esterling, University of Canterbury, Aotearoa New Zealand, shea.esterling@canterbury.ac.nz<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Oyewole Ayomide Abiodun, University of Ibadan, Nigeria, oyewoleayomide249@gmail.com<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Papers:<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

La probl\u00e9matique de restitution du tr\u00f4ne royal M\u0113ndh\u00f9-Y\u00ebn\u0169 au royame Bamoun (Cameroun) par l\u2019Allemagne<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

The Issue of the Restitution of the Royal Throne of M\u0113ndh\u00f9-Y\u00ebn\u0169 to the Bamoun Kingdom (Cameroon) by Germany<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Mefire Nsangou Arouna, University of Dschang, Cameroon<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Avant l\u2019arriv\u00e9e des europ\u00e9ens, l\u2019Afrique \u00e9tait organis\u00e9e en soci\u00e9t\u00e9s traditionnelles. Ces derni\u00e8res ont eu une rencontre \u00e0 g\u00e9om\u00e9tries variables avec les diff\u00e9rentes administrations coloniales. Dans le royaume Bamoun, l\u2019administration allemande en contribuant au d\u00e9veloppement de l\u2019agriculture, la construction du palais et la mise sur pied par le sultan Njoya, d\u00e8s le d\u00e9but du 20e si\u00e8cle, de l\u2019alphabet de la langue bamoun, le Sch\u00fcmom, aura d\u00e9port\u00e9 le tr\u00f4ne royal original M\u0113ndh\u00f9-Y\u00ebn\u0169 vers l\u2019Allemagne. Toutes choses qui priveront les rois successifs d\u2019une assise essentielle de leur autorit\u00e9. N\u00e9anmoins, avec la construction du nouveau mus\u00e9e des rois Bamoun par le sultan Ibrahim Mbombo Njoya gr\u00e2ce au partenariat avec le Mus\u00e9e quai Branly Jacques Chirac, les n\u00e9gociations ont \u00e9t\u00e9 entam\u00e9es avec les responsables du Mus\u00e9e Humboldt Forum dans la perspective de la restitution du tr\u00f4ne royal. En juin 2023, l\u2019actuel sultan en tourn\u00e9e en Allemangne a eu \u00e0 s\u2019installer sur ce tr\u00f4ne expos\u00e9 dans le mus\u00e9e. La pr\u00e9sente communication, sur la base des donn\u00e9es recueillies \u00e0 travers notamment la fouille documentaire et les entretiens, se propose de mener une r\u00e9flexion sur la probl\u00e9matique de la restitution du tr\u00f4ne royal M\u0113ndh\u00f9-Y\u00ebn\u0169 dans le mus\u00e9e des rois Bamoun.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Before the arrival of Europeans, Africa was organised into traditional societies. The last of these had variable encounters with different colonial administrations. In the Bamoun kingdom, the German administration contributed to the development of agriculture, the construction of the palace and the establishment, by Sultan Njoya, from the beginning of the 20th century, of the alphabet of the Bamoun language\u2014Sch\u00fcmom\u2014and removed the original royal throne of M\u0113ndh\u00f9-Y\u00ebn\u0169 to Germany. All of these were designed to deprive successive kings of the essential basis of their authority. With the construction of the new museum of the Bamoun kings by Sultan Ibrahim Mbombo Njoya, in partnership with the Mus\u00e9e quai Branly\u2014Jacques Chirac, negotiations for restitution of the royal throne were begun with the Humboldt Forum Museum. In June 2023, the current sultan, on tour in Germany, had to sit on this throne exhibited in the museum. This paper uses data collected from documentary research and interviews to reflect on the problem of the restitution of the M\u0113ndh\u00f9-Y\u00ebn\u0169 royal throne in the museum of the Bamoun kings.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Impact of European Relations in Benin City in the Late 15th<\/sup> Century AD<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Oyewole Ayomide Abiodun, University of Ibadan, Nigeria<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Benin City, the administrative capital of the Benin Kingdom, is one of the oldest and largest cities in West Africa. Benin City is known for its brass casting and art traditions, with an elegant display of extraordinary technical skills in making wood and ivory objects carved with great delicacy and precision. At the end of the 15th Century, the city was known to have grown so much in power and strategic trade relations with Europeans. Large quantities of brass materials were traded with a variety of professionals, including sailors, traders, explorers, and missionaries. The arrivals of Europeans marked a very significant impact in the region’s history. This period brought about profound changes that deeply affected the cultural heritage and social structures. However, the looting and destruction of cultural artefacts, particularly during the British Punitive Expedition of 1897, scattered invaluable cultural objects in museums around the world and had a lasting impact on the cultural identity and historical continuity of Benin City. This study examined the social, political and economic changes that occurred in Benin City at the end of 15th Century to understand how these changes impacted cultural practices and heritage, and carried out comprehensive historical, stylistic, artefactual and anthropological analyses, examining archival records, historical texts, and oral histories.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Holding Space: An International Mechanism for the Repatriation of Indigenous Heritage<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Dr Shea Esterling, University of Canterbury, Aotearoa New Zealand<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

This presentation examines the restitution of cultural property to Indigenous Peoples through consideration of the creation of an international mechanism for the repatriation of Indigenous heritage. In doing so, its methodology draws on Duncan Kennedy\u2019s critique of legal reasoning, highlighting how purportedly neutral legal doctrines perpetuate colonial power structures. Through this lens, it fleshes out the challenges and opportunities that arise from the absence of a formal enforcement mechanism(s) for the sui generis heritage scheme included in the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples (UNDRIP). To flesh out the contours of such a mechanism, the successful restitution of the Massov Kova to the Yaqui Peoples in Mexico will be explored as a case study. Aside from detailing the particulars of this case drawing on interviews from those involved, this study demonstrates the importance of juris-generative decision-making, institutions and processes. Ultimately, this presentation argues that any proposed mechanism for repatriation must be Indigenous led. Indigenous led mechanisms are crucial to support the delivery of on the ground benefits for Indigenous Peoples, alleviating the disconnect between such benefits and Indigenous participation in international law making that is often experienced.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Readiness of African National Museums for the Repatriation of Cultural Artefacts<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Isah Ishaq Ishaq, Dept of Archaeology and Heritage Studies, Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria, Nigeria<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

The issue of repatriation of cultural artefacts has gained significant attention in recent years, as many artefacts that were removed from their context during colonial times are being returned to their countries of origin. However, there is growing concern about the preparedness of African National Museums to adequately receive, preserve, and exhibit these repatriated objects according to international best practices. Many museums in Africa face challenges such as inadequate infrastructure, lack of trained personnel, insufficient funding, and outdated policies, which may hinder their ability to properly care for these valuable cultural items. This research critically assesses the current state of African National Museums in terms of their readiness to handle repatriated artefacts, identify the key challenges they face, and propose recommendations to improve their capacity to preserve and showcase these important pieces of cultural heritage.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Exploring the Ethics of Artefact Removal from Sri Lanka: A Case Study<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Elangage Monica Namini Perera, Attorney-at-Law, Supreme Court of Sri Lanka<\/em>
Kamani Perera, Chartered Institute of Personnel Management, Sri Lanka<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Sri Lanka belongs to a rich civilisation with invaluable archaeological sites, unmeasurable antiquities, ancient monuments and movable artefacts that can be considered as the physical remaining of the nation\u2019s past. However, there are threats to these invaluable heritages due to various illegal activities and development projects in the country. Timely amendment of Antiquities Ordinance and the National Policy is necessary in order to provide protection and to avoid illegal removal of artefacts from the country. During war and the British colonial period, a considerable number of collections were looted from Sri Lanka to other nations. There are two ways of looting. One way is removal of artefacts during war and subsequently, those artefacts are taken under the custody of the winning party. The other way is unlawful looting, and those artefacts are taken through secret excavations and without permission from the country of origin. Both ways, Sri Lanka has lost invaluable artefacts. Thus, such destructive activities can be treated as tearing out a page from the book of history and as a question of permanently removing the cultural pillars of the nation. Thus, laws should be implemented to prevent removal of artefacts from one nation to another.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Australia-India Synergy in the Repatriation of Artefacts. Collaboration for a Common Future<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Surendra Kumar Pachauri, Indian Administrative Service Retd; Visiting Professor, St. Stephen`s College, Delhi University, India; Visiting Professor, Amity University, Delhi, India<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Australia has emerged as a beacon and role model for the world to follow by taking the initiative to return cultural property to India, marking a renaissance and growth of cultural friendship and cooperation. Australia and India together, at the highest political and executive levels, have shown to the world how successfully cultural goods are repatriated. The ethical and moral dimensions of the problem are highlighted. Internationally, repatriation has become a connecting bridge between repatriating museums and host countries, encouraging collaboration. From the year 2014 onwards 40 artefacts were returned to India. The alacrity in carrying out the task is commendable. This new dynamism and consciousness were clearly visible and heartening to note when former Australian Prime Minister Tony Abbott, while visiting Delhi, handed over stolen Indian idols and artefacts to Prime Minister Modi of India. The G20 group nations summit in 2023 highlighted and shared views on the subject. There is a greater appreciation and understanding of the United Nation Convention of 1970 and important heads of States are cooperating in the return and restoration of cultural property.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The Restitution of the Parthenon Sculptures \u2013 Old Problem, New Opportunity<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Peter G. Stone, UNESCO Chair in Cultural Property Protection & Peace, Newcastle University, UK<\/em>
Elena Korka, archaeologist, Honorary Director General of Antiquities and Cultural Heritage, Greek Ministry of Culture, Greece<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Since its establishment, WAC has been a constant advocate for the restitution of human remains and cultural objects to communities and countries of origin.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

In the UK, while numerous museums have engaged with these international conversations, the British Museum (BM), seen erroneously by many as the institution leading the UK\u2019s national and international cultural heritage agenda, refuses to engage. This is mainly justified by the limitations of the 1963 BM Act that prohibits the deaccessioning of objects in its collections unless under very specific circumstances. This stance has left the BM increasingly isolated and out of touch with national and international norms.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The highest profile restitution issue faced by the BM is that of the Parthenon Sculptures. We suggest that the 2022 Charities Act offers a solution to this without need to modify the 1963 Act. The 2022 Act could allow for the return of all the contested sculptures, by the BM\u2019s Trustees acknowledging they are under a \u2018moral obligation\u2019 to transfer the objects outside the charity (Charities Act 2022, s. 16). This one act would reposition the UK as a real, leading, international player acting in the international good, working with international partners to the advantage of all.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Format: Paper Presentations with discussion This general session provides an overview of the issue of restitution across various contexts, countries and controversies. Convenors:Dr Shea Esterling, University of Canterbury, Aotearoa New Zealand, shea.esterling@canterbury.ac.nz Oyewole Ayomide Abiodun, University of Ibadan, Nigeria, oyewoleayomide249@gmail.com Papers: La probl\u00e9matique de restitution du tr\u00f4ne royal M\u0113ndh\u00f9-Y\u00ebn\u0169 au royame Bamoun (Cameroun) par l\u2019Allemagne […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1157,"featured_media":276,"parent":0,"menu_order":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","template":"","meta":{"pmpro_default_level":"","ngg_post_thumbnail":0,"footnotes":""},"class_list":{"0":"post-6807","1":"page","2":"type-page","3":"status-publish","4":"has-post-thumbnail","6":"pmpro-has-access","7":"czr-hentry"},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/worldarchaeologicalcongress.com\/wac10\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/6807","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/worldarchaeologicalcongress.com\/wac10\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/worldarchaeologicalcongress.com\/wac10\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/page"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/worldarchaeologicalcongress.com\/wac10\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1157"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/worldarchaeologicalcongress.com\/wac10\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=6807"}],"version-history":[{"count":9,"href":"https:\/\/worldarchaeologicalcongress.com\/wac10\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/6807\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":7157,"href":"https:\/\/worldarchaeologicalcongress.com\/wac10\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/6807\/revisions\/7157"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/worldarchaeologicalcongress.com\/wac10\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/276"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/worldarchaeologicalcongress.com\/wac10\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=6807"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}