A sacred religious relic believed to be plundered by British soldiers from Ethiopia is being returned to the African country after being saved by a London-based academic. It is among hundreds of treasures brought back to the UK after the British invaded Ethiopia in 1868 and was due to be sold last year when it was spotted by Dr Jacopo Gnisci. It will be handed back to the church by Dr Gnisci, who lectures in art at UCL, during a ceremony at the historic Athenaeum gentleman’s club on September 21.