How Louvre heist has led to uncomfortable conversations about France’s colonial past

Within hours of the Louvre theft, researchers sketched a likely colonial-era map for the materials - (REUTERS/Abdul Saboor)

As French authorities pursue the stolen Louvre jewels, a growing debate is emerging regarding their true origins.

While the artifacts themselves are French, the precious gems trace exotic routes through the shadows of empire – a difficult history France, like other Western nations with vast museum collections, is only now beginning to address.