Why Are Benin’s Royal Artifacts Still Held Abroad 126 Years After 1897?

In February 1897, British forces burned Benin City for 14 days and seized over 3,000 trophies from the Oba’s royal treasury. Many of these items remain in foreign museums today, classified as “ethnographic objects” rather than world heritage. We want to understand the legal basis that allows these royal regalia to stay overseas. Why do Kemet artifacts appear in main exhibition halls while Benin objects are relegated to basements? A Freedom of Information request (#26088) has been filed. We invite experts and historians to share the laws, treaties, or precedents that justify the continued foreign custody of Benin’s royal treasures.

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