19th Century Ethiopian Shield Returns Home After Near Sale in Ohio Exhibit

Nearly a month ago, an ancient funerary bed was returned home in Turkey. Now, another illegally taken artifact will be transported to where it originally belongs.

Known as the 'Maqdala Shield,' the artifact was one of the many things looted by British soldiers during the conflict of Maqdala, Ethiopia, on April 13, 1868. Its round silver form is covered by leather and belonged to a soldier fighting on behalf of Emperor Tewadros II.

According to ART News, the Ethiopian shield received the repatriation offer from the Anderson & Garland auction house, which tried to sell it between $1,046 (£800) to $1,569 (£1,200) this February. The RET or Royal Ethiopian Trust negotiated its return after pressuring the auction for months.

Ethiopian Shield's Return

Prince Ermias of Ethiopia remarked that the Maqdala shield is not just a historical artifact that can be bought as it symbolizes the country's resilience during war. For the Prince, bringing it back home means honoring ancestors who fought for the preservation of their heritage and freedom.

The Art Newspaper shared that returning the shield was made possible through the efforts of a British Scholar, named Alula Pankhurst, whose activist grandmother, Sylvia, fought for Ethiopia's rights. Sylvia began her support to the country's case following Italy's invasion in 1936, where she started a news journal about it. In 1956, her family moved to the country and has been upholding its heritage and honoring its history.

For now, there is no specific schedule on when the Maqdala Shield will return to Ethiopia but it will be displayed at the Toledo Museum of Art until October 7. It will then be transported to its origin country's national museum.