Ethiopia, the Aksum obelisk, and the return of Africa's cultural heritage

Ethiopia, an ancient African state, has suffered from extensive foreign loo ting twice in modern times. Firstly, in 1868, when the British expedition a gainst Emperor Tewodros II looted crowns, crosses and religious manuscripts from his mountain fortress of Maqdala. The second occasion was during the Italian Fascist occupation of 1936-1941, when the invaders seized crowns, s tate papers, and one of the famous early fourth century obelisks of Aksum. Both acts of looting are relevant to current discussion on the return to Af rica of artifacts looted during the colonial era, for which they provide pr ecedents. The looting of Maqdala was followed, in the ensuing century, by t he British Government's gradual restitution to Ethiopia of several looted a rtifacts-though the lion's share still remains in Britain. Fascist Italy's defeat in the Second World War was followed in 1947 by an Italian Peace Tre aty with the United Nations, in which Italy agreed to return all loot taken from Ethiopia. Most, but by no means all, articles were returned. The Aksu m obelisk, however, remained in Pome. This led to Ethiopian, and internatio nal, agitation, after which the Italian Government agreed to the obelisk's return. This has, however, still to be effected.