📷 Image: Wikimedia Commons / Diliff
National
Oxford Museum Returns 39 Naga Skulls to India After a Century
✍️ The Economic Times
🗓 11 Nov 2026, 11:21 AM
👁 17
The Oxford University Museum of Natural History has transferred 39 skulls of Naga ancestors, taken during the British colonial era, back to India. The return marks a significant step in repatriating cultural heritage.
The Oxford University Museum of Natural History announced the transfer of 39 skulls belonging to Naga ancestors, which were removed from India during the British colonial period. The artifacts, now in the possession of the museum for a century, were returned to their homeland as part of a broader effort to repatriate cultural items taken during colonial rule.
The Naga community, primarily located in the northeastern state of Nagaland, welcomed the gesture, which is seen as a symbolic restoration of dignity and heritage. Officials from the Indian Ministry of Culture and the Nagaland state government expressed gratitude for the museum’s cooperation.
The skulls were originally collected by British explorers in the early 20th century and displayed as part of the museum’s anthropological collection. Their return follows similar repatriation initiatives undertaken by other institutions worldwide.
The Oxford museum confirmed that the transfer was carried out in compliance with international guidelines on the restitution of cultural property. The Naga community plans to incorporate the returned artifacts into local museums and educational programs.
This event underscores the ongoing dialogue between former colonial powers and India regarding the restitution of cultural heritage and the importance of preserving indigenous histories.
The Naga community, primarily located in the northeastern state of Nagaland, welcomed the gesture, which is seen as a symbolic restoration of dignity and heritage. Officials from the Indian Ministry of Culture and the Nagaland state government expressed gratitude for the museum’s cooperation.
The skulls were originally collected by British explorers in the early 20th century and displayed as part of the museum’s anthropological collection. Their return follows similar repatriation initiatives undertaken by other institutions worldwide.
The Oxford museum confirmed that the transfer was carried out in compliance with international guidelines on the restitution of cultural property. The Naga community plans to incorporate the returned artifacts into local museums and educational programs.
This event underscores the ongoing dialogue between former colonial powers and India regarding the restitution of cultural heritage and the importance of preserving indigenous histories.