Here’s a deep dive into "The Thieves of African Artifacts" — a painful but crucial part of history:


---

1. Colonial Powers Stole African Treasures on a Massive Scale

During the 19th and early 20th centuries, European powers like Britain, France, Germany, and Belgium invaded African nations and plundered cultural artifacts — often after violent conflicts.

The most infamous thefts include the Benin Bronzes from Nigeria (1897), looted after a British punitive expedition destroyed the Kingdom of Benin. Thousands of intricate bronze and ivory sculptures were taken and ended up in British and German museums.



---

2. Egypt's Antiquities Were Smuggled Across Europe

Egypt, with its rich ancient civilization, suffered massive looting — not just from tomb raiders but from European archaeologists and explorers who claimed artifacts for "preservation".

The Rosetta Stone, which helped decode hieroglyphics, was seized by Britain from France after Napoleon’s defeat in 1801 — but it originally belonged to Egypt.

Cleopatra’s Needle, an ancient Egyptian obelisk, now stands in London and New York, taken as "gifts" under questionable deals.



---

3. The Scramble for Africa Was Also a Scramble for Its Culture

Between 1881 and 1914, European powers carved up Africa in what’s known as the Scramble for Africa — not only claiming land but also cultural treasures.

Belgian King Leopold II exploited Congo, taking not just rubber and ivory but also cultural items, now displayed in Belgium’s Royal Museum for Central Africa.

Germany looted artifacts from Namibia after massacring the Herero and Nama people — an act now recognized as genocide.



---

4. African Art Is Still Stuck in Foreign Museums

An estimated 90-95% of Africa’s cultural heritage remains outside the continent — mostly in European and American museums.

The British Museum alone holds over 73,000 African artifacts, including Ethiopian treasures stolen after Britain’s invasion of Maqdala in 1868.

France holds around 90,000 African pieces — President Emmanuel Macron admitted in 2017 that African artifacts “shouldn’t be in Paris”, sparking debates on restitution.



---

5. Restitution Is Slow — and Political

In recent years, African nations have demanded the return of stolen artifacts — but museums often resist, claiming the pieces are better preserved in the West.

Nigeria, Ethiopia, and Benin have been pushing for their heritage to be returned, with some success:

Germany agreed to return over 1,100 Benin Bronzes in 2021.

France returned 26 artifacts to Benin in 2021 — a drop in the ocean compared to what remains.

Britain returned two Benin Bronzes to Nigeria in 2022 but still holds hundreds more.




---

6. Some Artifacts Were “Sold” — But Under Duress

European collectors sometimes claim African leaders “sold” artifacts willingly — but these deals were often made under coercion or threats during colonization.

Many agreements were made with puppet leaders installed by colonial powers, making the "legal ownership" argument murky.



---

7. Looted Art Still Sells for Millions

African artifacts continue to sell at high-profile auctions — even when their origins are shady.

In 2019, a Benin Bronze head sold for $4.7 million in a Paris auction, despite protests from Nigeria.

Wealthy private collectors, especially in Europe and North America, continue to buy stolen African pieces, keeping them out of African museums and public view.



---

8. African Cultures Lost More Than Objects

Beyond physical artifacts, the theft of African treasures also meant the loss of spiritual, cultural, and historical connections.

Many of these items weren’t just decorative — they held religious, ceremonial, and ancestral significance. Some communities believe the loss of these objects disrupted their spiritual balance.

The theft also fueled harmful stereotypes that Africans lacked culture or sophistication — despite their stolen masterpieces being praised as "world-class art" in European museums.



---

9. Some Artifacts Were Destroyed or Damaged Beyond Repair

Not all stolen items made it to museums. Some were melted down for gold, silver, or bronze. Others were broken during transport or lost altogether.

During the 1897 British raid on Benin, soldiers reportedly used sacred brass plaques as dinner trays — a symbol of how little they respected the culture they destroyed.



---

10. African Nations Are Rebuilding Their Heritage

Despite the thefts, African nations are fighting to reclaim their culture.

Nigeria is building a new Benin Royal Museum to house the returning bronzes.

Ethiopia has restored some of its looted treasures, including Emperor Tewodros II's royal artifacts, returned from Scotland in 2021.

Young African artists are reviving traditional techniques — from Benin bronze casting to Malagasy weaving — ensuring cultural traditions survive, even if the originals remain locked in European glass cases.



3 1

True or false🤔?
3 2

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3 1

Dudeblack:
Here’s a deep dive into "The Thieves of African Artifacts" — a painful but crucial part of history:


---

1. Colonial Powers Stole African Treasures on a Massive Scale

During the 19th and early 20th centuries, European powers like Britain, France, Germany, and Belgium invaded African nations and plundered cultural artifacts — often after violent conflicts.

The most infamous thefts include the Benin Bronzes from Nigeria (1897), looted after a British punitive expedition destroyed the Kingdom of Benin. Thousands of intricate bronze and ivory sculptures were taken and ended up in British and German museums.



---

2. Egypt's Antiquities Were Smuggled Across Europe

Egypt, with its rich ancient civilization, suffered massive looting — not just from tomb raiders but from European archaeologists and explorers who claimed artifacts for "preservation".

The Rosetta Stone, which helped decode hieroglyphics, was seized by Britain from France after Napoleon’s defeat in 1801 — but it originally belonged to Egypt.

Cleopatra’s Needle, an ancient Egyptian obelisk, now stands in London and New York, taken as "gifts" under questionable deals.



---

3. The Scramble for Africa Was Also a Scramble for Its Culture

Between 1881 and 1914, European powers carved up Africa in what’s known as the Scramble for Africa — not only claiming land but also cultural treasures.

Belgian King Leopold II exploited Congo, taking not just rubber and ivory but also cultural items, now displayed in Belgium’s Royal Museum for Central Africa.

Germany looted artifacts from Namibia after massacring the Herero and Nama people — an act now recognized as genocide.



---

4. African Art Is Still Stuck in Foreign Museums

An estimated 90-95% of Africa’s cultural heritage remains outside the continent — mostly in European and American museums.

The British Museum alone holds over 73,000 African artifacts, including Ethiopian treasures stolen after Britain’s invasion of Maqdala in 1868.

France holds around 90,000 African pieces — President Emmanuel Macron admitted in 2017 that African artifacts “shouldn’t be in Paris”, sparking debates on restitution.



---

5. Restitution Is Slow — and Political

In recent years, African nations have demanded the return of stolen artifacts — but museums often resist, claiming the pieces are better preserved in the West.

Nigeria, Ethiopia, and Benin have been pushing for their heritage to be returned, with some success:

Germany agreed to return over 1,100 Benin Bronzes in 2021.

France returned 26 artifacts to Benin in 2021 — a drop in the ocean compared to what remains.

Britain returned two Benin Bronzes to Nigeria in 2022 but still holds hundreds more.




---

6. Some Artifacts Were “Sold” — But Under Duress

European collectors sometimes claim African leaders “sold” artifacts willingly — but these deals were often made under coercion or threats during colonization.

Many agreements were made with puppet leaders installed by colonial powers, making the "legal ownership" argument murky.



---

7. Looted Art Still Sells for Millions

African artifacts continue to sell at high-profile auctions — even when their origins are shady.

In 2019, a Benin Bronze head sold for $4.7 million in a Paris auction, despite protests from Nigeria.

Wealthy private collectors, especially in Europe and North America, continue to buy stolen African pieces, keeping them out of African museums and public view.



---

8. African Cultures Lost More Than Objects

Beyond physical artifacts, the theft of African treasures also meant the loss of spiritual, cultural, and historical connections.

Many of these items weren’t just decorative — they held religious, ceremonial, and ancestral significance. Some communities believe the loss of these objects disrupted their spiritual balance.

The theft also fueled harmful stereotypes that Africans lacked culture or sophistication — despite their stolen masterpieces being praised as "world-class art" in European museums.



---

9. Some Artifacts Were Destroyed or Damaged Beyond Repair

Not all stolen items made it to museums. Some were melted down for gold, silver, or bronze. Others were broken during transport or lost altogether.

During the 1897 British raid on Benin, soldiers reportedly used sacred brass plaques as dinner trays — a symbol of how little they respected the culture they destroyed.



---

10. African Nations Are Rebuilding Their Heritage

Despite the thefts, African nations are fighting to reclaim their culture.

Nigeria is building a new Benin Royal Museum to house the returning bronzes.

Ethiopia has restored some of its looted treasures, including Emperor Tewodros II's royal artifacts, returned from Scotland in 2021.

Young African artists are reviving traditional techniques — from Benin bronze casting to Malagasy weaving — ensuring cultural traditions survive, even if the originals remain locked in European glass cases.

true
4 2

Investor123:
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1 1

Joybank:
true

Sadly, some are still in the British museum.........
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Omo
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Ifeco:
Omo

You and omo, wetin happen 😄
1 1