A nearly 2,500-year-old golden helmet, considered one of Romania’s most important treasures, has been recovered more than a year after it was stolen from a museum in the Netherlands.
The helmet and two gold bracelets, dating back to around 450 BC, have been returned and are on display at the museum. They are being displayed under the watchful eye of two armed police officers. One of the bracelets has yet to be found.
The armed gang that broke into the Drenthe Museum in Assen stole the Cotofenesti helmet and bracelets, sparking outrage in Romania and raising questions about the security of priceless archaeological artifacts displayed abroad.
The exhibits from the National History Museum of Romania were on display at the “Dacia: Empire of Gold and Silver” exhibition, which chronicled the history of the civilization and population that existed in what is now Romania before the Roman conquest (106 AD). The theft took place during this exhibition.
The incident sparked a serious row between the two countries’ governments. As a result, the Dutch government reportedly paid Romania around 5.7 million euros in insurance compensation.
Romanian officials have declined to comment on the fate of the money at this time.
