The theft and trafficking of cultural artifacts, often from archaeological sites, has been a longstanding issue, exacerbated during colonial times. Notable efforts to combat this include UNESCO’s initiatives and the Hague Convention of 1954.
The repatriation of cultural artifacts involves the contested return of items taken—often through colonialism, war or exploitation—to their countries of origin, raising issues of ownership, cultural identity and historical justice. International agreements aim to return looted cultural material to its rightful owners.
Looted artifacts from Egypt took center stage when a 2018 MET Gala photo of Kim Kardashian posing with a gold sarcophagus—chosen for its match with her dress—unexpectedly helped solve a major looting case from the 2011 uprisings.