In a major diplomatic ceremony in Lisbon, the National Museum of Archaeology has finalized the return of rare 16th-century royal artifacts to the Republic of Angola. The collection includes a ceremonial silver-hilted sword and carved ivory scepters belonging to the Kingdom of Ndongo, which were removed during the early colonial expansion of the Portuguese Empire.
Angolan heritage officials stated that the items would be housed in a new state-of-the-art National Museum of Military History in Luanda. This restitution is part of a broader 2026 initiative by the Portuguese government to reconcile with former colonies by returning culturally sensitive items that were previously classified as national heritage property.