London’s Victoria and Albert Museum has finalized the restitution of a collection of 18th-century ceremonial daggers and lacquered shields to the National Museum of the Maldives. The items, which were part of the Maldivian Sultanate's royal treasury, were taken during the British protectorate era and had been in the V&A collection since 1902.
This repatriation follows years of negotiation under the Heritage Restitution Directive. Maldivian officials stated that the return of these items is essential for reclaiming the archipelago's pre-colonial identity and will be the centerpiece of a new exhibit on the maritime history of the Indian Ocean.