Neither the Conservative nor Labour parties have signalled any interest in changing present legislation. The British Museum Act of 1963 and the National Heritage Act of 1983 forestall museum trustees at some high-profile establishments from “deaccessioning” items in their collections. The gadgets covered by the loan settlement symbolize only a fraction of the Asante artifacts held by British museums and private collectors all over the world. The British Museum alone says it has 239 gadgets of Asante regalia in its collection.
Later in Kenya, at Enkapune Ya Muto, beads made from perforated ostrich egg shells have been dated to greater …