27th February 2024
Written by: Sinai Fleary
HOLY: Ethiopian Orthodox priests gather at the Fasilides Bath. (Photo by Michele Spatari / AFP) (Photo by MICHELE SPATARI/AFP via Getty Images)
A museum spokesperson told The Voice it is “restricted by law from returning objects”
THE BRITISH Museum says it can lend sacred Ethiopian artefacts to a church in Britain but failed to say if the items would be returned to Africa, The Voice can reveal.
The looted Ethiopian tabots, represent the Ten Commandments and the Ark of the Covenant, and were stolen by British troops during the Battle of Maqdala (formerly Magdala) in 1868.
The Museum says it has 11 tabots in its collection and said it’s “long-term ambition is to lend the objects to an Ethiopian Orthodox Church in Great Britain where they can be cared for by the clergy within their traditions.”
This comes after Westminister Abbey announced the pillaged tabot in its possession, could to be returned back to Ethiopia.
As the sacred tabots can only be viewed by priests in the Ethiopian and Eritrean Orthodox Church, the Museum said they are not on public display.
‘Special location’
The Museum told The Voice, they are “housed in a special location, and cared for by a committed curatorial and conservation team.
“Crucially they are maintained in consultation with the Ethiopian Orthodox Church.
“The tabots are available to be visited by Ethiopian Orthodox priests and prelates which is reflective of Church practices.”
When asked by The Voice, if they planned on returning the items to Ethiopia, the Museum said it is “restricted by law from returning objects.”
There has been growing calls for the museum to return the pillaged historical items back to countries in Africa.
Over the years, leading campaigners have criticised the museum for failing to acknowledge that African artefacts have deep cultural, religious and spiritual significance.
A British Museum spokesperson also said: “The British Museum’s collection tells the story of human cultural achievement over 2 million years.
“The presence of the tabots in the collection, together with other objects from Ethiopia, demonstrate the breadth and diversity of religious traditions in Ethiopia, including Christianity, Islam and Judaism as well as other faiths.”