The Cultural Review

Restitution

2 articles

Indigenous elders and museum officials participating in a solemn ceremony for the repatriation of ancestral remains and cultural artifacts.
Culture

Repatriation is an ethical imperative for justice and decolonizing heritage.

As of 2024, the Bureau of Indian Affairs (BIA) has facilitated the repatriation of over 2,612 ancestors and 35,826 associated funerary objects, a concerted effort to return cultural heritage.

Eleanor Voss·June 30, 2026
A curator examining an ancient artifact during a clandestine exchange, symbolizing the complex issues of cultural relic restitution and national identity.
Culture

What is cultural relic restitution and why does it matter for national identity?

The black market for art, antiquities, and cultural objects stands as the third largest clandestine market globally, surpassed only by arms and drugs.

Eleanor Voss·June 22, 2026