For the past decade, Italy waged a cultural war with specially trained carabinieri to retrieve their looted art pieces and statuary back from the iron clutches of some of the world's most prestigious art museums and gallery collections. The Federal Democratic Republic of Ethiopia had to use UNESCO's diplomatic and enforcement resources to pry their rightful treasure from the almost 2500 year old Kingdom of Axum back from an outdoor tourist plaza in Rome, Italy. After 70 years of forced exile in Italy, and the hectoring of a vigilant professor, the Italian nation coughed up over $4 million USD for the return of the stolen 1700 year old, Obelisk of Axum after it sat in storage at Rome's Leonardo Da Vinci airport for three years waiting to return to the Horn of Africa. In 1980, UNESCO designated Aksum a World Heritage Site and still the Italian government could not be moved.

Despite signing various agreements that promised to return the monument, the Italian government showed no signs of doing so until the obelisk was badly damaged by lightning in a thunderstorm in 2003. (Photo of Obelisk in Rome 2002)

In 1937, under the orders of fascist Benito Mussolini, Italian soldiers hacked the more than a millennium old obelisk into three pieces for shipping back to Rome as part of augmenting his imperial claims that the Roman Empire was once again ascending. In 1947, the United Nations demanded that it be returned as Italy dug in its heels and made Ethiopia wage one after another diplomatic initiative to get their rightful cultural symbol returned. Fifty years later, Italy grants permission for the Obelisk's return to Ethiopia. Ethiopia had to upgrade its own runway for the plane carrying the returning pieces weighing over 160 tons and standing 24 meters or or 78 feet when fully installed.

The holy city of Axum or Askum and its royal rulers have a long heritage of Christian lineage with strong Muslim ties going back to the protection of the family of the Prophet. Ethiopia's collection of obelisks contains some which date back almost 5,000 years before the birth of Christ. The area is said to be the cradle of civilization with archaeological evidence dating back 5.9 million years. The kingdom of Axum is where this architectural stone specimen was carved and stood until its removal. The modern day return of the obelisk is said to herald the return of peace and prosperity to Ethiopia.

The obelisk pieces are so massive, it took six weeks for artisans, historians and construction contractors to erect the returned artifact monument in its place of origin in Northern Ethiopia, near the border of Eritrea. An Ethiopian national celebration is planned for 4 September, 2008 to commemorate its joyful return. The Italian government had museum curators put on an elaborate how upon receiving over 70 notable pieces back into their possession. The Northern Stelae Park, home of ancient obelisks, showcases the fallen Great Steale in all its broken glory.