Human skulls attached to looted Asante instruments create ethical restitution dilemma for Fowler Museum

At UCLA's Fowler Museum, two musical artifacts from West Africa present a restitution dilemma because they are accompanied by human skulls. A drum and an ivory trumpet were taken by British soldiers from Kumasi, in the Asante kingdom, during the late 19th century. Although the museum intends to return these items to Ghana, ethical concerns emerge since the skulls likely belonged to adversaries of the Asante. The trumpet's skull is identified as that of a 40-year-old male who suffered a fatal head injury, while the drum’s cranium belongs to a 50-year-old female. Both instruments were auctioned in London in 1919 and 1930, donated to the Fowler in 1965, and have never been exhibited. Ongoing negotiations with Ghana's Ministry of Tourism and other parties have yet to yield a resolution.