Panel Removed from the Tomb of the Mahdi by The 79th
The Highlanders’ Museum

This panel was taken by a soldier of the Queen’s Own Cameron Highlanders during the Battle of Omdurman in 1898, part of the Sudan Campaign.    

The panel was removed from the tomb of the Mahdi (a religious leader in Sudan) after his army were defeated by the British. Although prohibited by the army, the destruction of palaces and places of worship during war was common. The panel was taken to demonstrate colonial power and victory over Sudan, and shows the disrespect that the British Army had for Sudanese culture at the time.   

Nowadays, many museums are taking steps to return looted objects to their place of origin. Unfortunately, this process can often take many years.