Research Talk by Rachel Gatehouse – UK Heritage Institutions’ Repatriation Practices

Talk Title: UK Heritage Institutions’ Repatriation Practices

The talk was delivered on 12 February 2025 by Rachel Gatehouse, as part of the DIS research seminars series.

This paper addresses gaps in understanding of UK heritage institutions’ repatriation practices by compiling and analysing a comprehensive database of repatriated items from 2010 to 2022. While recent literature focuses on practical repatriation guidance, there is limited information on the broader trends and patterns in repatriation conducted by UK heritage institutions. This study provides a new overview by quantitatively examining repatriated items over a twelve-year period, which reveals key insights into the general landscape of cultural repatriation in the UK. Our analysis shows that approximately 400 items, mainly human remains, have been returned predominantly to Indigenous communities in Australia. The findings highlight a trend of increasing repatriations with a slight diversification, mainly focused on items from British colonial contexts. Our research also identifies significant gaps in UK repatriation practices and debates concerning certain regions, including South America and Europe and many countries with colonial histories to the UK which are not preset in the database. It contributes to the broader discussions on cultural heritage and restitution by advocating for a re-evaluation of ownership, belonging, and responsibility in the global context of cultural heritage. Its implications extend beyond academia, which aims to influence policy, practice, and ethical considerations in the repatriation of cultural heritage worldwide.