Relics associated with Emperor Tewodros II and taken to Britain following the 1868 Maqdala campaign were formally returned to Ethiopia yesterday during a ceremony at St Martinโs Chapel, University of Cumbria in Lancaster. In a recoded video message, Ethiopian Heritage Authority Director General, Professor Abebaw Ayalew described the handover as an important act of cultural restoration and historical significance.
The repatriated items include strands of hair belonging to Emperor Tewodros II and a blood-stained piece of cloth associated with the emperorโs final moments at Maqdala in 1868. Following a blessing ceremony, Dr. Alula Pankhurst received the relics on behalf of the Ethiopian Heritage Authority.
Researcher Eyob Derillo, whose personal initiative and sustained engagement helped advance the repatriation process, presented the Abyssinia Collection Research Project alongside Lancaster Museumโs Carolyn Dalton. The event brought together Ethiopian clergy, British scholars, diplomats from the Ethiopian Embassy in London, and museum representatives in a joint commemoration of the return.
Professor Abebaw said the relics represented the core of Ethiopiaโs identity, memory, and heritage. He described the 1868 expedition as a complex and sensitive chapter in shared history and said the return reflected growing trust and cooperation between institutions in Britain and Ethiopia.
The ceremony also featured remarks by the great-grandson of Sir Robert Napier who led the 1868 expedition. He handed over a golden bracelet originally gifted by Emperor Tewodros II to a British army member. The repatriation symbolised a shared commitment to historical understanding, dialogue, and cultural reconciliation.
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