Oxford Returns 39 Naga skulls to India 100+ Years after Colonial Loot | Kohinoor Next? Vantage
Oxford University's Pitt Rivers Museum has returned 39 Naga ancestral remains to India, more than a century after they were taken during British colonial rule. The handover took place on November 9, 2026, with representatives of Naga communities travelling to Oxford to reclaim their ancestors. The remains will be brought back to Nagaland for burial at a joint memorial. But this is only one chapter in India's long fight to reclaim its stolen cultural heritage. From the Kohinoor diamond and the Amaravati Marbles to the Vagdevi idol and Sanchi Yakshi, several Indian treasures remain abroad. Meanwhile, the Piprahwa Buddha relics, the Annapurna idol and historic temple bronzes are among the antiquities that have returned. How much of India's heritage has come home? How much remains in foreign museums?
