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Toledo Museum, Ethiopia Partner on Antiquities Return
1 Sep
Summary
- Museum and Ethiopia jointly research artifact origins.
- Artifacts with questionable provenance will be returned.
- Artworks legally exported will remain with the museum.
Curators from Ethiopia and the Toledo Museum of Art are embarking on an in-depth study of a substantial collection of antiquities to address provenance concerns. Robert McCarthy Jr., the collector, is collaborating with the museum and the Ethiopian government in an innovative arrangement. Under this plan, the Toledo Museum will partly acquire and partly receive donations of 380 artifacts.
The joint effort will meticulously investigate the origins and ownership histories of these items. Any antiquities found to have been exported illegally from Ethiopia will be returned to the country. Those judged to have been exported appropriately will stay with the Toledo Museum, fostering a shared appreciation for cultural heritage across continents.
This investigative process, potentially spanning decades, will allow for the artifacts to be displayed periodically in both Ethiopia and the United States. Officials estimate hundreds of items may eventually be repatriated to Ethiopia as part of this agreement, setting a new precedent for cultural artifact stewardship.
