They include three heavy cast-gold items known as soul washers’ badges , which have been worn around the necks of excessive ranking officials at courtroom who were answerable for cleaning the soul of the king. However, Mr Hunt insisted the new cultural partnership “just isn’t restitution by the back door” – meaning it isn’t a way to return permanent possession back to Ghana. “It would not appear to me that all of our museums will fall down if we build up these sort of partnerships and exchanges.” Mr Hunt mentioned when museums hold “objects with origins in war and looting in military campaigns, we now have a responsibility to the countries of origin to consider how we will share these extra pretty today. The items to be loaned, most of which were taken during 19th-Century wars between the British and the Asante, embody a sword of state and gold badges …