Association For the Return of the Magdala Ethiopian Treasures facts for kids
| Type | Legal Society |
|---|---|
| Headquarters | Addis Ababa, Ethiopia |
| Location |
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| Website | http://www.afromet.org/ |
AFROMET stands for the Association For the Return of the Magdala Ethiopian Treasures. It is a group that works to bring back valuable items that were taken from Ethiopia a long time ago. They believe these treasures should be returned to their home country.
Contents
Why Treasures Were Taken
The Battle of Magdala
In 1868, there was a big battle called the Battle of Magdala. British soldiers won this battle. After their victory, they took many precious things from the city of Maqdala. They also took items from an important Ethiopian Christian church called Medhane Alem.
What Was Taken
Many different kinds of treasures were taken. These included beautiful crosses made of gold, silver, and brass. There were also many old books written on parchment, which is a special type of paper. These books had amazing drawings and decorations. It took many animals, like elephants and mules, to carry all the items away.
Where the Treasures Went
Some of the items were sold. A person named Richard Holmes, who worked at the British Museum, bought many old books and other valuable objects. This included the crown of the Abuna, who is the head of the Ethiopian Church. Today, some of these treasures are still in museums, like the British Museum. For example, a book in the Bodleian Library has a note saying it was "taken from a church at Maqdala in 1868."
Why Returning Items Matters
Over time, countries around the world agreed that taking things during wars, called "looting," was wrong. This rule was made clear in the Fourth Geneva Convention. But what about things taken before these rules? Many groups, like AFROMET, started working to get these cultural items returned to their original homes.
Efforts to Get Treasures Back
Early Attempts
The Ethiopian government began asking for the return of their treasures very soon after the battle. They had some small successes, but getting everything back was a slow process.
Important Returns
Sometimes, items were returned. In 1965, Queen Elizabeth II gave back the royal cap and seal of Emperor Tewodros II to Emperor Haile Selassie I. This was a significant moment.
AFROMET's Work
AFROMET was created to work steadily on getting these objects returned. They use legal methods and try to get public support. So far, some items have been given back by private people. These include an old handwritten Book of Psalms, two special religious objects called Tabots, and a shield. AFROMET is still working to get more than 460 other items returned to Ethiopia.
