Cultural Restitution

February 11, 2022
PORTUGAL
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PORTUGAL

Updated February 2024

Below is a schedule of successful restitutions made by Portugal, together with other restitution news. Entries are updated regularly


February 2024

Portuguese politicians and museum curators cannot agree whether or not to return the Kwer'ata Re'esu icon painting, looted by the British at Maqdala in 1868

The Art Newspaper


September 2023

An early 16th century icon of the suffering Christ, looted from Ethiopia by Richard Holmes, the British Museum representative at the battle of Maqdala, has been traced to Portugal

The Art Newspaper


November 2022

Following a recent inaccurate report on Portugal's plans for the restitution of objects and human remains, the country's Minister of Culture has recommended reflection, discretion and some reserve

Observador


February 2022

Angolan Minister of Culture is seeking to negotiate the return of Angola's cultural heritage held in Portuguese museums

DW.com




More News

Imperial Gold Hairpin to return to Ethiopia

December 5, 2025
A rare and important 19th century gold hairpin once owned by Empress Tiruwork, wife of the Abyssinian Emperor Tewodros II, will be returning to Ethiopia following negotiations by the Royal Ethiopian Trust with the Rome auction house Bertolami Fine Art

Protests in favour of a Benin Royal Museum frustrate ambitions of Nigeria’s Museum of West African Art

November 25, 2025
In 2022 several western collections made a decision to transfer ownership of their Benin Bronzes to Nigeria. Reassured by progress on the construction of a major new facility in Benin City, they understood their Benin artefacts would be exhibited in a new museum to be called the Edo Museum of West African Art

Why the Rosetta Stone will not be returning to Egypt ... just yet

November 11, 2025
After years of delay and political distraction, the official opening of the new Grand Egyptian Museum finally took place in the shadow of the pyramids on the evening of November 1st attended by monarchs, world leaders, heads of state and government