📷 Image: Wikimedia Commons / Diliff
International
Oxford Museum Returns Ancestral Naga Skulls to India
✍️ BBC
🗓 10 Nov 2026, 07:16 PM
👁 28
The Oxford University Museum of Natural History has returned a collection of ancestral Naga skulls to the Indian state of Nagaland, marking a significant step in repatriating cultural heritage.
The Oxford University Museum of Natural History announced the return of several ancestral Naga skulls to Nagaland, India, on Tuesday. The skulls, which had been part of the museum’s collection for decades, were identified as belonging to the Naga people and were returned following a request from Indian authorities.
The repatriation is seen as a positive move toward the restoration of cultural artifacts that were removed during colonial times. It also reflects growing international cooperation on the restitution of indigenous heritage items.
Nagaland officials welcomed the gesture, noting that the skulls hold significant cultural and historical value for the local communities. The return is expected to strengthen ties between the UK and India in matters of cultural preservation.
The Oxford museum confirmed that the skulls will be stored in Nagaland’s heritage facilities and will be accessible to researchers and the public under local regulations.
The repatriation is seen as a positive move toward the restoration of cultural artifacts that were removed during colonial times. It also reflects growing international cooperation on the restitution of indigenous heritage items.
Nagaland officials welcomed the gesture, noting that the skulls hold significant cultural and historical value for the local communities. The return is expected to strengthen ties between the UK and India in matters of cultural preservation.
The Oxford museum confirmed that the skulls will be stored in Nagaland’s heritage facilities and will be accessible to researchers and the public under local regulations.