South Africa Returns Colonial-Era Human Remains and Zimbabwe Bird to Zimbabwe

South Africa has returned stolen ancestral human remains and a historic Zimbabwe bird sculpture to Zimbabwe after more than a century, as part of efforts to repatriate artefacts taken during colonial rule. The items, including remains once kept as scientific specimens and a sacred national symbol taken from Great Zimbabwe, will now be restored to their rightful place.

South Africa has returned ancestral human remains and a centuries-old stone carving of the Zimbabwe bird—Zimbabwe’s sacred national emblem—to Zimbabwe, more than a century after they were taken during the colonial era. The handover, which took place in Cape Town, forms part of a broader global effort to repatriate African artefacts looted during colonisation.
At the ceremony, eight coffins draped in Zimbabwe’s national flag were displayed, symbolising the return of the remains, which had long been held as “scientific specimens.” Officials noted that little is known about the individuals, although one is believed to have been a tribal chief whose skull and jaw were taken in 1910. South Africa’s Culture Minister, Gayton McKenzie, emphasised that the remains were taken from their graves without consent and had remained in storage for over a century.
Zimbabwean representative Paul Damasane stated that the remains would now be laid to rest in their rightful homeland. Alongside the human remains, a soapstone carving of the Zimbabwe bird—one of the most important cultural symbols of the country—was also returned. The artefact had been removed from the ancient city of Great Zimbabwe in the late 19th century by a British explorer and later sold to Cecil John Rhodes, who displayed it at his estate in Cape Town.
The return marks a significant moment, nearly 140 years after the artefact was first taken. South Africa had previously returned four similar bird carvings shortly after Zimbabwe gained independence in 1980.
The Zimbabwe bird carvings, typically about 33 centimetres tall and originally mounted on tall stone columns, are deeply symbolic and appear on Zimbabwe’s flag, currency, and national identity. They originate from the historic site of Great Zimbabwe, a UNESCO World Heritage Site and one of Africa’s most important pre-colonial structures, second in scale only to the pyramids of Egypt. The site is currently undergoing a $5 million restoration project, underscoring its cultural and historical significance.