NZ Herald
  • Home
  • Latest news
  • Herald NOW
  • Video
  • New Zealand
  • Sport
  • World
  • Business
  • Entertainment
  • Podcasts
  • Quizzes
  • Opinion
  • Lifestyle
  • Travel
  • Viva
  • Weather

Subscriptions

  • Herald Premium
  • Viva Premium
  • The Listener
  • BusinessDesk

Sections

  • Latest news
  • New Zealand
    • All New Zealand
    • Crime
    • Politics
    • Education
    • Open Justice
    • Scam Update
  • Herald NOW
  • On The Up
  • World
    • All World
    • Australia
    • Asia
    • UK
    • United States
    • Middle East
    • Europe
    • Pacific
  • Business
    • All Business
    • MarketsSharesCurrencyCommoditiesStock TakesCrypto
    • Markets with Madison
    • Media Insider
    • Business analysis
    • Personal financeKiwiSaverInterest ratesTaxInvestment
    • EconomyInflationGDPOfficial cash rateEmployment
    • Small business
    • Business reportsMood of the BoardroomProject AucklandSustainable business and financeCapital markets reportAgribusiness reportInfrastructure reportDynamic business
    • Deloitte Top 200 Awards
    • CompaniesAged CareAgribusinessAirlinesBanking and financeConstructionEnergyFreight and logisticsHealthcareManufacturingMedia and MarketingRetailTelecommunicationsTourism
  • Opinion
    • All Opinion
    • Analysis
    • Editorials
    • Business analysis
    • Premium opinion
    • Letters to the editor
  • Politics
  • Sport
    • All Sport
    • OlympicsParalympics
    • RugbySuper RugbyNPCAll BlacksBlack FernsRugby sevensSchool rugby
    • CricketBlack CapsWhite Ferns
    • Racing
    • NetballSilver Ferns
    • LeagueWarriorsNRL
    • FootballWellington PhoenixAuckland FCAll WhitesFootball FernsEnglish Premier League
    • GolfNZ Open
    • MotorsportFormula 1
    • Boxing
    • UFC
    • BasketballNBABreakersTall BlacksTall Ferns
    • Tennis
    • Cycling
    • Athletics
    • SailingAmerica's CupSailGP
    • Rowing
  • Lifestyle
    • All Lifestyle
    • Viva - Food, fashion & beauty
    • Society Insider
    • Royals
    • Sex & relationships
    • Food & drinkRecipesRecipe collectionsRestaurant reviewsRestaurant bookings
    • Health & wellbeing
    • Fashion & beauty
    • Pets & animals
    • The Selection - Shop the trendsShop fashionShop beautyShop entertainmentShop giftsShop home & living
    • Milford's Investing Place
  • Entertainment
    • All Entertainment
    • TV
    • MoviesMovie reviews
    • MusicMusic reviews
    • BooksBook reviews
    • Culture
    • ReviewsBook reviewsMovie reviewsMusic reviewsRestaurant reviews
  • Travel
    • All Travel
    • News
    • New ZealandNorthlandAucklandWellingtonCanterburyOtago / QueenstownNelson-TasmanBest NZ beaches
    • International travelAustraliaPacific IslandsEuropeUKUSAAfricaAsia
    • Rail holidays
    • Cruise holidays
    • Ski holidays
    • Luxury travel
    • Adventure travel
  • Kāhu Māori news
  • Environment
    • All Environment
    • Our Green Future
  • Talanoa Pacific news
  • Property
    • All Property
    • Property Insider
    • Interest rates tracker
    • Residential property listings
    • Commercial property listings
  • Health
  • Technology
    • All Technology
    • AI
    • Social media
  • Rural
    • All Rural
    • Dairy farming
    • Sheep & beef farming
    • Horticulture
    • Animal health
    • Rural business
    • Rural life
    • Rural technology
    • Opinion
    • Audio & podcasts
  • Weather forecasts
    • All Weather forecasts
    • Kaitaia
    • Whangārei
    • Dargaville
    • Auckland
    • Thames
    • Tauranga
    • Hamilton
    • Whakatāne
    • Rotorua
    • Tokoroa
    • Te Kuiti
    • Taumaranui
    • Taupō
    • Gisborne
    • New Plymouth
    • Napier
    • Hastings
    • Dannevirke
    • Whanganui
    • Palmerston North
    • Levin
    • Paraparaumu
    • Masterton
    • Wellington
    • Motueka
    • Nelson
    • Blenheim
    • Westport
    • Reefton
    • Kaikōura
    • Greymouth
    • Hokitika
    • Christchurch
    • Ashburton
    • Timaru
    • Wānaka
    • Oamaru
    • Queenstown
    • Dunedin
    • Gore
    • Invercargill
  • Meet the journalists
  • Promotions & competitions
  • OneRoof property listings
  • Driven car news

Puzzles & Quizzes

  • Puzzles
    • All Puzzles
    • Sudoku
    • Code Cracker
    • Crosswords
    • Cryptic crossword
    • Wordsearch
  • Quizzes
    • All Quizzes
    • Morning quiz
    • Afternoon quiz
    • Sports quiz

Regions

  • Northland
    • All Northland
    • Far North
    • Kaitaia
    • Kerikeri
    • Kaikohe
    • Bay of Islands
    • Whangarei
    • Dargaville
    • Kaipara
    • Mangawhai
  • Auckland
  • Waikato
    • All Waikato
    • Hamilton
    • Coromandel & Hauraki
    • Matamata & Piako
    • Cambridge
    • Te Awamutu
    • Tokoroa & South Waikato
    • Taupō & Tūrangi
  • Bay of Plenty
    • All Bay of Plenty
    • Katikati
    • Tauranga
    • Mount Maunganui
    • Pāpāmoa
    • Te Puke
    • Whakatāne
  • Rotorua
  • Hawke's Bay
    • All Hawke's Bay
    • Napier
    • Hastings
    • Havelock North
    • Central Hawke's Bay
    • Wairoa
  • Taranaki
    • All Taranaki
    • Stratford
    • New Plymouth
    • Hāwera
  • Manawatū - Whanganui
    • All Manawatū - Whanganui
    • Whanganui
    • Palmerston North
    • Manawatū
    • Tararua
    • Horowhenua
  • Wellington
    • All Wellington
    • Kapiti
    • Wairarapa
    • Upper Hutt
    • Lower Hutt
  • Nelson & Tasman
    • All Nelson & Tasman
    • Motueka
    • Nelson
    • Tasman
  • Marlborough
  • West Coast
  • Canterbury
    • All Canterbury
    • Kaikōura
    • Christchurch
    • Ashburton
    • Timaru
  • Otago
    • All Otago
    • Oamaru
    • Dunedin
    • Balclutha
    • Alexandra
    • Queenstown
    • Wanaka
  • Southland
    • All Southland
    • Invercargill
    • Gore
    • Stewart Island
  • Gisborne

Media

  • Video
    • All Video
    • NZ news video
    • Herald NOW
    • Business news video
    • Politics news video
    • Sport video
    • World news video
    • Lifestyle video
    • Entertainment video
    • Travel video
    • Markets with Madison
    • Kea Kids news
  • Podcasts
    • All Podcasts
    • The Front Page
    • On the Tiles
    • Ask me Anything
    • The Little Things
  • Cartoons
  • Photo galleries
  • Today's Paper - E-editions
  • Photo sales
  • Classifieds

NZME Network

  • Advertise with NZME
  • OneRoof
  • Driven Car Guide
  • BusinessDesk
  • Newstalk ZB
  • Sunlive
  • ZM
  • The Hits
  • Coast
  • Radio Hauraki
  • The Alternative Commentary Collective
  • Gold
  • Flava
  • iHeart Radio
  • Hokonui
  • Radio Wanaka
  • iHeartCountry New Zealand
  • Restaurant Hub
  • NZME Events

SubscribeSign In

Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.
Home / World

Britain should give back its stolen treasures if it wants to make friends, says TV historian David Olusoga

By Anita Singh
Daily Telegraph UK·
28 May, 2018 02:44 AM4 mins to read

Subscribe to listen

Access to Herald Premium articles require a Premium subscription. Subscribe now to listen.
Already a subscriber?  Sign in here

Listening to articles is free for open-access content—explore other articles or learn more about text-to-speech.
‌
Save

    Share this article

David Olusoga also joined the chorus of voices calling for the Elgin Marbles to be returned to Greece. Photo / 123rf
David Olusoga also joined the chorus of voices calling for the Elgin Marbles to be returned to Greece. Photo / 123rf

David Olusoga also joined the chorus of voices calling for the Elgin Marbles to be returned to Greece. Photo / 123rf

Britain should return foreign treasures looted in past centuries if it wants to make international friends in the future, a TV historian has suggested.

David Olusoga, a presenter on the BBC's recent Civilisations series, said 21st century Asian superpowers such as China were keenly aware that Britain had stolen parts of its history.

He joked that there should be "a special version of Supermarket Sweep where every country was given a huge shopping trolley and two minutes in the British Museum".

Speaking at the Hay Festival, Olusoga said: "I don't know how sustainable it is, Europeans and Americans having these museums full of stuff that was taken in violent raids from other countries when those other countries are now our trading partners, countries we want to have good relationships with and financially beneficial relationships with.

"If the world is pivoting to Asia, if our relationships with the Commonwealth after Brexit are going to be more important... they remember the things that were taken. There are senses of loss in those countries. It's beneficial to us to listen to those appeals."

Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.
Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.

Olusoga cited treasures taken from the Summer Palace in Beijing in 1850 by Lord Elgin's sons.

"The Chinese have an enormous ministry investigating those objects, trying to repatriate them, because everyone in school in China is taught about the fact that the British and the French burned down one of the greatest palaces in all of Asia," he said.

The Benin bronzes were taken and then sold to pay for the cost of the military adventure. Photo / 123rf
The Benin bronzes were taken and then sold to pay for the cost of the military adventure. Photo / 123rf

He also joined the chorus of voices calling for the Elgin Marbles to be returned to Greece.

Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.

In Civilisations, which he presented with Simon Schama and Mary Beard, Olusoga drew attention to the Benin Bronzes, looted by the British in 1897.

More than 4000 objects were seized and dispersed among Western institutions, including the British Museum.

The historian, son of a Nigerian father and white British mother, said he had grown up visiting the bronzes and had an emotional attachment to them.

"I think it's a very, very clear case of appropriation and theft," Olusoga said. "They were taken in 1897 during the raid on the Palace of Benin. The palace was destroyed, they were taken and then sold to pay for the cost of the military adventure. Everyone was open about this - steal this stuff, send it to pay for the bullets.

Discover more

New Zealand

Anglican Church apologises for land sale to Crown

13 May 08:49 PM
Kahu

Bastion Point and the tragedy that nearly ended the protest

24 May 08:22 AM
Kahu

Historian: Time for a new Auckland city father

23 May 07:00 AM
Travel

Three for the kids: Science Museums

27 May 04:00 AM
David Olusoga praised the British Museum for being open about the history of objects in its collection, with labels often explaining how they were acquired. Photo / File
David Olusoga praised the British Museum for being open about the history of objects in its collection, with labels often explaining how they were acquired. Photo / File

"These are Nigeria's national treasures. The idea that your national treasures would be in the museum of another country is something that as British people we would find impossible to get our heads around. But that's what Nigerians have to think about."

He praised the British Museum for being open about the history of objects in its collection, with labels often explaining how they were acquired.

But he added: "When countries demand the return of those treasures and we say, well, that's history, it's all over - how long is that going to be sustainable for?"

Olusoga said Britain and other European nations must accept that they were no longer the great super-powers and "the centre of the world" is now Asia.

"Most people are Asian. Two of the most powerful economies of the coming century will be China and India. And this in some ways will be a return to the 16th and 17th centuries. The age in which Europe had dominance and was by far and away the economic and industrial powerhouse in the world was quite brief," he added.

Stolen treasures

• Tippoo's Tiger V&A Museum Looted during Seringapatam Siege, 1799, India

Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.

• Tiger Ying Sold at auction Sacred bronze looted in 1860 from China palace

• Gold crown V&A Museum Seized in 1868 by British in Abyssinia (Ethiopia)

• Gold chalice V&A Museum Taken by the British in 1868 from church in Ethiopia

• Rabbit bronze Back in China Looted by Anglo-French in Opium War 1860

Save

    Share this article

Latest from World

Premium
World

Odd couple: An unexpected animal friendship

World

What are the 'Epstein files' and why has it angered Trump's base?

World

Trump plans to send migrants to ‘third' countries. Others have tried that


Sponsored

Solar bat monitors uncover secrets of Auckland’s night sky

Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.

Recommended for you

Markets with Madison host on her bold but ‘terrifying’ media move: 'I was always watching Judy Bailey ... I was obsessed'
Media Insider

Markets with Madison host on her bold but ‘terrifying’ media move: 'I was always watching Judy Bailey ... I was obsessed'

Ellerslie-Eden Park double looms in mammoth day for Auckland sport
Racing

Ellerslie-Eden Park double looms in mammoth day for Auckland sport

Athletics: London Diamond League overshadowed by UK's packed sports month
Whanganui Chronicle

Athletics: London Diamond League overshadowed by UK's packed sports month

Morning quiz: Which female pharaoh is often depicted wearing a false beard?
New Zealand

Morning quiz: Which female pharaoh is often depicted wearing a false beard?

Trump plans to send migrants to ‘third' countries. Others have tried that
World

Trump plans to send migrants to ‘third' countries. Others have tried that

Netball: Kaierau edge Pirates in thrilling Premier 1 clash
Whanganui Chronicle

Netball: Kaierau edge Pirates in thrilling Premier 1 clash



Latest from World

Premium
Premium
Odd couple: An unexpected animal friendship
World

Odd couple: An unexpected animal friendship

New York Times: 'Like two old friends walking home from a bar' a researcher said of video.

16 Jul 05:00 PM
What are the 'Epstein files' and why has it angered Trump's base?
World

What are the 'Epstein files' and why has it angered Trump's base?

16 Jul 05:00 PM
Trump plans to send migrants to ‘third' countries. Others have tried that
World

Trump plans to send migrants to ‘third' countries. Others have tried that

16 Jul 05:00 PM


Solar bat monitors uncover secrets of Auckland’s night sky
Sponsored

Solar bat monitors uncover secrets of Auckland’s night sky

06 Jul 09:47 PM

NZ Herald
  • About NZ Herald
  • Meet the journalists
  • Newsletters
  • Classifieds
  • Help & support
  • Contact us
  • House rules
  • Privacy Policy
  • Terms of use
  • Competition terms & conditions
  • Our use of AI
Subscriber Services
  • NZ Herald e-editions
  • Daily puzzles & quizzes
  • Manage your digital subscription
  • Manage your print subscription
  • Subscribe to the NZ Herald newspaper
  • Subscribe to Herald Premium
  • Gift a subscription
  • Subscriber FAQs
  • Subscription terms & conditions
  • Promotions and subscriber benefits
NZME Network
  • The New Zealand Herald
  • The Northland Age
  • The Northern Advocate
  • Waikato Herald
  • Bay of Plenty Times
  • Rotorua Daily Post
  • Hawke's Bay Today
  • Whanganui Chronicle
  • Viva
  • NZ Listener
  • Newstalk ZB
  • BusinessDesk
  • OneRoof
  • Driven Car Guide
  • iHeart Radio
  • Restaurant Hub
NZME
  • About NZME
  • NZME careers
  • Advertise with NZME
  • Digital self-service advertising
  • Book your classified ad
  • Photo sales
  • NZME Events
  • © Copyright 2025 NZME Publishing Limited
TOP
search by queryly Advanced Search