HistoryExtra Podcast: Britain and the Looted African Gold
March 20, 2026
Host: Spencer Mizzen
Guest: Barnaby Phillips (author of The African Kingdom of Gold)

Episode Overview

This episode explores the history of the Ashanti Kingdom in West Africa, the plundering of its golden treasures by the British in the 1870s, and the ongoing campaign to return these artifacts. Barnaby Phillips, an expert on the subject and author of a new book, joins host Spencer Mizzen to discuss the political, cultural, and military rise of the Ashanti, the significance of their regalia, the British invasion and looting, and recent restitution efforts.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

The Origins and Rise of the Ashanti Kingdom

[02:06] Barnaby Phillips:

• The Ashanti kingdom is located in what is now Ghana, centered around Kumasi, about 200km north of the Atlantic coast.
• Emerged at the end of the 17th century as an amalgamation of smaller chieftaincies, unified under a central king (Asantehene).
• Power came from control of the gold trade with various European powers (Portuguese, Dutch, Danish, British).
• By the 18th century, the Ashanti became significant players in the transatlantic slave trade.
• Quote: "Ashanti controlled the interior trade. And worked through middlemen...but over time, trade evolved...Ashanti was an important player in the slave trade." (03:07)

Key Ashanti Rulers and Political Organization

[03:56] Barnaby Phillips:

• The mythical origins are attributed to priest Okomfo Anokye and King Osei Tutu; Okomfo Anokye presented the "golden stool"—the soul of the Ashanti people—to Osei Tutu.
• The Ashanti Empire functioned like a loose federation but was known for military discipline and effective organization.
• Their strength was in forest warfare, gold mining, and conquest of neighbors.
• Quote: "The golden stool...contained the soul of the Ashanti people. Which launched the beginning of, I guess you would call the Ashanti empire." (05:13)

The Cultural and Spiritual Meaning of Ashanti Gold

[07:07] Barnaby Phillips:

• Gold was both a symbol of wealth/prestige and sacred power.
• The craftsmanship was extraordinary, utilizing techniques like lost wax casting and repousse.
• The regalia—bracelets, headpieces, sandals—dazzled both locals and Europeans.
• British looting of the regalia challenged Victorian stereotypes of Africa as "barbaric."
• Quote: "Gold has multiple meanings...It’s a monetary store of value...but also with a spiritual dimension, to show the Santa connection to the gods and the skill of the craftsmen." (07:12)

Early British Encounters: Curiosity Turns to Conquest

[09:09] Barnaby Phillips:

• British first encountered Ashanti via intermediaries; direct contact came with Thomas Bowditch’s 1817 mission to Kumasi.
• Bowditch’s account inspired ideas of Ashanti as a "kingdom of gold."
• Initial relations were friendly, but soon deteriorated into repeated wars through the nineteenth century.
• Quote: "This is...the tragic honeymoon of Anglo Ashanti relations. Because the treaty, the Friendship Treaty, doesn't last." (10:32)

Causes and Course of Conflict with Britain

[11:39] Barnaby Phillips:

• Deterioration due to Britain’s expanding commercial interests, abolitionist zeal, and Victorian racial superiority.
• The pivotal moment was the 1873-74 war after Britain became the sole coastal power, acquiring traditional Ashanti trading bases.

The 1873–1874 War & British Plunder

[15:48] Barnaby Phillips:

• The Ashanti invaded British territory, prompting a major military response led by Sir Garnet Wolseley.
• British advantages (new rifles, Gatling gun) led to devastating defeats for the Ashanti.
• Wolseley orchestrated systematic looting and destruction of the Ashanti palace at Kumasi, seizing treasures as “trophies.”
• Plunder was distributed—some to British officers, but key items were auctioned in London, acquired by museums and private collectors.
• Quote: “He (Wolseley) must decide. And the Ashantogene. The King is not there...So what can he do? He blows up the palace. But first he loots it systematically and he sets Kumasi on fire as a statement of British control.” (17:25)

British Debate and Public Opinion

• Some dissent in Parliament over the morality of the campaign, but consensus celebrated Wolseley as a hero.
• The phrase “all Sir Garnet” enters British slang for logistical mastery.
• Quote: “The consensus is that Sir Garnet Wolseley comes back a complete hero. This is the making of him.” (19:48)

The Looted Gold: Quantity, Fate, and Symbolism

[23:35] Barnaby Phillips:

• Loot of the palace itself was auctioned in Cape Coast; high-value objects and gold regalia worth today’s equivalent of over a million pounds were sold in London.
• Major artifacts ended up in UK museums (British Museum, Wallace Collection, Royal Collection).
• Some treasures’ whereabouts remain unknown, possibly melted or in private hands.
• Ashanti regarded certain symbolic pieces as key spiritual losses—masks, rams’ heads, stools.
• Quote: “Some people say that that gold face mask is perhaps the largest single item of worked gold...to have come out of Africa, with the exception of ancient Egypt itself.” (25:05)

The Impact on the Ashanti Kingdom

[26:11] Barnaby Phillips:

• The 1874 defeat was not the end; British returned in the 1890s, exiling the king but failing to capture the sacred golden stool.
• The Ashanti retained their royal and spiritual traditions under colonial rule.
• Over time, Ghana’s independence required reconciling its powerful Ashanti heritage with modern statehood.
• Tensions have mostly been resolved in recent decades, with Ashanti participating actively in national life.
• Quote: “Perhaps crucially, they retain the Golden Stool, which had been hidden from the British, which is this object which to them contains the soul of their people.” (27:22)

Campaigns for Restitution and Modern Return

[30:17] Barnaby Phillips:

• Early requests for return of sacred objects date to the 1920s-30s; formal campaigns arose around the 1974 centenary.
• The global restitution debate intensified after President Macron’s 2017 speech, and the Sarr-Savoy Report in France.
• King Osei Tutu II opted for pragmatic negotiation—accepting long-term museum loans in the absence of legal deaccession options in the UK.
• In 2024, a highly emotional homecoming ceremony was held in Kumasi for 32 regalia pieces returned on loan.
• Diverse international visitors now engage with the regalia at the palace museum.
• Quote: “Even the British Museum curators...there was a woman there who said it was the most meaningful thing she’d ever been involved in professionally. I mean, there were a lot of tears basically, that when these treasures were returned...” (32:10)

Ongoing Debates in Ghana and the West

[34:33] Barnaby Phillips:

• Ghanaian public opinion: some urge to simply keep the returned treasures; others support honoring the negotiated agreement.
• Debate over whether to keep regalia as museum pieces or restore ritual use; contrast between UK loan (objects must remain in museum) and US unconditional return.
• Examples of returned sacred objects being reintegrated into traditional ceremonies.
• Quote: “Their approach [the Fowler Museum, Los Angeles] was different...They said, we’re giving back these objects. You do with them what you want...If you want to wave them around in festivals and re engage in all their spiritual meaning, that too is fine.” (36:06)

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• “The golden stool...contained the soul of the Ashanti people. Which launched the beginning of...the Ashanti empire.” — Barnaby Phillips [05:13]
• “Gold has multiple meanings...It’s a monetary store of value...but also with a spiritual dimension, to show the Santa connection to the gods and the skill of the craftsmen.” — Barnaby Phillips [07:12]
• “The consensus is that Sir Garnet Wolseley comes back a complete hero. This is the making of him.” — Barnaby Phillips [19:48]
• “Some people say that that gold face mask is perhaps the largest single item of worked gold...to have come out of Africa, with the exception of ancient Egypt itself.” — Barnaby Phillips [25:05]
• “Perhaps crucially, they retain the Golden Stool, which had been hidden from the British, which is this object which to them contains the soul of their people.” — Barnaby Phillips [27:22]
• “Even the British Museum curators...there was a woman there who said it was the most meaningful thing she’d ever been involved in professionally. I mean, there were a lot of tears basically, that when these treasures were returned...” — Barnaby Phillips [32:10]
• “Their approach [the Fowler Museum, Los Angeles] was different...They said, we’re giving back these objects. You do with them what you want...If you want to wave them around in festivals and re engage in all their spiritual meaning, that too is fine.” — Barnaby Phillips [36:06]

Important Timestamps

• [02:06] — Origins and rise of the Ashanti kingdom
• [03:56] — Key rulers and mythical origins (the golden stool)
• [07:07] — Significance and craftsmanship of Ashanti gold
• [09:09] — First British contacts; Bowditch’s mission
• [11:39] — Why Anglo-Ashanti relations soured; war erupts
• [15:48] — War of 1873-74: British invasion & looting
• [19:48] — Aftermath in Britain: Wolseley’s reputation
• [23:35] — The process and value of the looted treasure
• [26:11] — Long-term impact on the Ashanti kingdom
• [30:17] — Campaigns for restitution; the issue’s resurgence in the 21st century
• [32:10] — 2024 return ceremony in Kumasi
• [34:33] — Ghanaian response, museum vs. ritual use, global perspectives on restitution

Concluding Thoughts

Barnaby Phillips weaves the story of Ashanti gold from its sacred origins through its colonial plunder to the present-day complexities of restitution and heritage. The episode highlights the enduring significance of these treasures—materially, spiritually, and symbolically—for both Ghanaians and the world. The pragmatic approach to restitution, in face of legal restrictions and international pressure, reflects ongoing debates around colonial legacies and cultural property.

For further reading, listeners are pointed to Barnaby’s feature in History Extra’s April issue and additional resources on the podcast website.