Mission of returning the heritage: rare exhibits in London

A silver tray belonging to Abu Mansur ibn Sabuktigin, a representative of the Seljuk dynasty, is preserved in the Dawood Shah collection in London.

At the recent extended meeting held at the Center of Islamic Civilization, one of the important issues concerning Uzbekistan’s cultural heritage was discussed the possibilities of returning historical exhibits currently held abroad, particularly in private collections in the United Kingdom, to our homeland.

In his speech, Academician Akbar Hakimov provided detailed information about artifacts from the Samanid, Ghaznavid, Khwarazmshah, Qarakhanid, Timurid, and Uzbek Khanate periods preserved in the collections of several art dealers in London. He noted that the primary goal of bringing back these world-class masterpieces is not only to restore the historical wealth of our land but also to ensure that the interior exhibitions of the Center of Islamic Civilization in Uzbekistan align with its grand exterior.

It was emphasized that these works are attracting significant interest in the global cultural markets due to their historical value and rarity.

It was reported that a silver tray belonging to Abu Mansur ibn Sabuktigin, a representative of the Seljuk dynasty, is preserved in the Dawood Shah collection in London. He was the brother of Sultan Mahmud of Ghazni and is recognized as an important political figure in the history of Central Asia and Iran. It was emphasized that such artifacts are not only material treasures but also carry spiritual and scholarly significance.

The participants of the meeting highlighted the necessity for Uzbekistan to undertake essential measures to study these artifacts more deeply and, wherever possible, to facilitate their return to the homeland. Additionally, the initiative to display digitized copies of the identified exhibits from these collections within the exhibition of the Center of Islamic Civilization was also considered.

For information, it was previously reported that, in order to enrich the content of the Center of Islamic Civilization in Uzbekistan, which is being established on the initiative of the President of the Republic of Uzbekistan, a delegation led by the Director of the Center, Firdavs Abdukhalikov, made a working visit to London, United Kingdom, from April 25 to May 2, 2025, during which they participated in auctions at the world-renowned Sotheby’s and Christie’s auction houses.

During the working visit, it was revealed that the auctions at the trading houses attended by the delegation included rare artifacts related to Uzbekistan's cultural heritage, particularly from the pre-Islamic period, the First and Second Renaissance periods, and the era of the khanates. A total of 46 lots were selected for the Center’s exhibition.

Such efforts serve as an important step in preserving, restoring, and passing on our national heritage to future generations.