Royal Artillery criticised for denying access to looted Asante ram's head

The Royal Artillery has been criticised for refusing public access to an “extraordinary object” looted by the British army in the 19th century from the Asante people in modern-day Ghana. The glistening golden ram’s head remains in the regiment’s officers’ mess at Larkhill in Wiltshire rather than on display.

The artefact was taken after British forces sacked Kumasi in 1874 and again during a later return in 1896, when soldiers set fire to the city and blew up the palace. The spoils were dispersed among private and public collections; in 2024 the Victoria and Albert Museum and the British Museum agreed to return 32 pieces of gold court regalia to the Manhyia Palace Museum on long-term loan.

The ram’s head, about 19cm wide with spiralling horns, was described in 1874 as “very valuable.” Barnaby Phillips, who sought to view the piece while researching a forthcoming book, said his request was turned down on security and insurance grounds. “It’s an army institution holding the spoils of war, but they say it’s not safe to show it to me.

Ghana, Kumasi

royal artillery, asante, ram's head, larkhill, wiltshire, kumasi, 1874, 1896, british museum, manhyia palace