Canary Islands Protest for Return of Guanché Mummy from Madrid Museum

The Guanché mummy from Barranco de Erques, dated to the 12th or 13th century, has become a symbol of colonial restitution debates. Discovered in 1763 in a cave between Fasnia and Güímar, the mummy was housed at the Museo Arqueológico Nacional de Madrid. Spain's Ministry of Culture, under minister Ernest Urtasun, removed it from public display citing ethical guidelines from ICOM's Code of Ethics, sparking outrage in Tenerife. Local authorities demand its return to the Museo de Naturaleza y Arqueología (MUNA), which has a dedicated exhibition module 'Éxodo y restitución de las momias guanches de Tenerife' featuring a replica. The Cabildo de Tenerife has sought repatriation since 1976, but Madrid has never allowed even a temporary loan. Legal expert Paola Ghirardelli, author of 'Il diritto dell'arte' (Key editore, March 2025), notes the case highlights tensions between ethical restitution and legal frameworks, referencing the Sarr-Savoy Report (2018) and France's law transferring ownership of colonial artifacts. The mummy, belonging to a 35-40-year-old man with intact teeth and brain, is considered the finest example of Guanché mummification. The article compares the dispute to the Benin Bronzes at Berlin's Humboldtforum and the Nefertiti bust, and questions museum ethics, citing the example of Ötzi at Bolzano.