Overview

• The Swan auction house in Oxfordshire planned to sell a 19th-century Naga human skull, sparking protests from Nagaland and calls for its repatriation.
• Nagaland's Chief Minister Neiphiu Rio and the Forum for Naga Reconciliation led demands for the auction's cancellation, labeling it an act of dehumanization.
• The auction house pulled the skull and other human remains from its listings after facing backlash from Indigenous groups and international critics.
• Lord Paul Boateng and other UK figures have called for legal reforms to prevent the sale of human remains, citing ethical and colonial concerns.
• The incident has intensified discussions about the repatriation of Indigenous artifacts and remains held by private collectors and museums worldwide.