Ancient African skull becomes Britain’s newest Elgin Marbles

DEMANDS for the return of ancient treasures such as the Elgin Marbles have embroiled museums in controversy and nations in diplomatic debate.

But now, arguments over artefacts have reached beyond the wonders of civilisation and into prehistory after the Natural History Museum (NHM) responded to Zambia’s demand for the repatriation of an ancient human skull. United Nations specialists are mediating negotiations between the countries over the fossil.

The cracked cranium of early hominid “Rhodesian Man” could be up to 300,000 years old, and the disputed remains represent a potential link in the chain that led to modern humans.

It was sent to the NHM in 1921 after being found in a mine in what was then Northern Rhodesia. After the colonial territory became Zambia, its government demanded the return of “Rhodesian Man” or “Kabwe 1”.

It is understood the NHM in London has begun the process of resolving the dispute over the ancient African remains. Unesco will act as a mediator in the talks to decide the future of the millennia-old skull.

A spokesman for the NHM told The Sunday Telegraph: “The museum looks forward and is committed to constructive participation in this dialogue and has made approaches to the Zambian authorities.”

The skull belonged to a species known as Homo rhodesiensis, which had a larger brain than Homo erectus.

The “Rhodesian Man” himself appears to have suffered from tooth cavities. The NHM said the skull was donated after being found by a miner at Kabwe, now in Zambia.

But Zambia wants the skull returned to the land where it was unearthed, and first made its demands in the Seventies in the years after decolonisation. Unesco became involved in 2018, deciding that Zambia and the UK Government should work to both “find a mutually acceptable solution”. Negotiations will be helped if necessary by Audrey Azoulay, the director-general of Unesco.

The UN agency said that the case is ongoing and is “a process of mediation that hinges on the willingness of the parties involved”.