in brief
UK loans back some Ghana's looted Asante Gold 'Crown Jewels'
The UK is sending some of Ghana's "crown jewels" back to Ghana, 150 years after looting them from the court of the Asante king.
In a historic development, following 50 years of pleading, Ghana successfully secured a six-year loan agreement and the return of gold and silver treasures looted by the British from the Ashanti Kingdom during colonial wars.
The deal is the result of nine months of intense negotiations to reunite the Asante royal court’s precious regalia with the people of Ghana.
A total of 17 pieces are showcased at the Manhyia Palace Museum in Kumasi in Ghana’s Ashanti Region, offering Ghanaians a rare glimpse of cultural treasures that have been absent from their homeland for 150 years.
The artifacts which were looted during conflicts between the British and the Asante in the 19th century – comprise an array of significant items such as an Asante gold ring, a sword of state known as Mpomponsuo, gold badges worn by officials tasked with the sacred duty of purifying the king’s soul, and a gold lute-harp.
