France has begun the return of around 3,500 prehistoric artefacts to Ethiopia, marking a significant cultural gesture decades after the items were removed for research. The initial handover took place on Saturday, November 30, at Addis Ababa’s National Museum.
French Foreign Minister Jean-Noel Barrot officially presented two prehistoric stone axes and a stone cutter, all excavated from the Melka Kunture archaeological site, to Ethiopia’s Tourism Minister Selamawit Kassa during a ceremonial event.
“These tools are among nearly 3,500 artefacts unearthed from Melka Kunture,” Barrot stated. The site, a key prehistoric excavation area south of Addis Ababa, has been extensively studied under the guidance of a late French archaeologist.
This handover reflects the strong archaeological and palaeontological collaboration between Ethiopia and France, underscored by a long-standing bilateral agreement.
Laurent Serrano, cultural advisor at the French embassy in Addis Ababa, clarified that the transfer is not a formal restitution. “These objects have never been part of French public collections, so this is a handover,” Serrano explained to AFP.
The artefacts, estimated to date back 1 to 2 million years, were discovered during decades of excavation near Ethiopia’s capital. The full collection, currently stored at the French embassy, will be officially delivered to the Ethiopian Heritage Directorate on Tuesday, December 3.
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