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

Placing ownership of museum collections under a spotlight

April 2, 2025
Explaining why a looted artefact should be returned to its country or community of origin can sometimes be straightforward. But explaining how is altogether different

Rare Aboriginal shell necklace is returned to Tasmanian homeland

March 28, 2025
A unique shell necklace believed to originate from the Bass Strait islands has been returned by The Hunterian collection to representatives from the Tasmanian Aboriginal Centre (TAC) who travelled to Glasgow to carry it home

Report demands an end to the display of African ancestral remains in UK collections

March 14, 2025
Laying Ancestors to Rest pulls no punches. The recommendations made in a new policy brief published by the All Party-Parliamentary Group on Afrikan-Reparations (APPG-AR) include making the sale of human remains illegal and putting an end to the public display of ancestral remains