A 19th-century Ethiopian imperial hairpin looted by British troops in 1868 is set to return home after more than 150 years in Europe. The gold piece, which belonged to Empress Tiruwork, wife of Emperor Tewodros II, was taken during the British expedition to Magdala and later passed into private collections.
The Royal Ethiopian Trust (RET), a non-profit established by His Imperial Highness Prince Ermias Sahle-Selassie Haile-Selassie, has secured the hairpin through negotiations with Italian auction house Bertolami Fine Art in Rome. The Trust, which works to recover and preserve Ethiopian cultural heritage, acquired the artefact for repatriation as part of its broader effort to retrieve objects looted after the fall of Magdala.
Prince Ermias, President of the Crown Council of Ethiopia, led the talks in close collaboration with RET board member Nicholas Melillo. Earlier this year, the Trust also facilitated the return of the historic Magdala Shield, underscoring growing momentum behind the restitution of Ethiopian artefacts removed during the 19th century.
“This repatriation demonstrates what can be accomplished when we choose to build bridges,” Prince Ermias said, thanking Bertolami Fine Art, partners, donors and the Weiss family, who recently donated a dozen Ethiopian items from their collection. He stressed that cooperation based on “trust and mutual respect” can help ensure important Ethiopian cultural treasures are accessible to Ethiopians and the wider world.
The Empress Tiruwork hairpin, still preserved in its original velvet-lined presentation box, is considered a rare surviving example of 19th-century Ethiopian imperial craftsmanship. The piece is historically linked to James Sinclair, Surgeon General of the British 33rd Regiment, who archival records suggest may have attended Empress Tiruwork in her final days as she travelled with her son, Prince Alemayehu, after the emperor’s death.
