Controversial Ukrainian artifacts, initially sent to Europe for an exhibition almost a decade ago, have finally returned to Kyiv from the Netherlands following an extended legal dispute.
The collection, originating from four museums in Crimea before Russia’s annexation in 2014, encountered complications due to the geopolitical shift. After nearly 10 years of legal battles, the National Museum of History of Ukraine confirmed the return, describing it as a “great historical victory.”
Comprising 565 items, including ancient sculptures, Scythian and Sarmatian jewelry, and 2,000-year-old Chinese lacquer boxes, the artifacts were part of the exhibition “Crimea: Gold and Secrets of the Black Sea” in Amsterdam.
Rostyslav Karandieiev, Ukraine’s acting minister of culture, emphasized the significance of preserving history and identity. He stated, “The exhibition in the Netherlands was showing the history of Ukrainian Crimea, therefore it is exclusively the people of Ukraine who should possess these treasures.”
The legal dispute centered on whether the items should be returned to Ukraine or the four museums in Russian-controlled Crimea. The Supreme Court of the Netherlands ultimately ruled on June 9, 2023, that the collection should be returned to Kyiv.
The Allard Pierson museum in Amsterdam, where the collection was held during the legal proceedings, confirmed the return. Els van der Plas, the museum’s director, expressed satisfaction that the artifacts have been returned to their rightful owner after the complexities arising from geopolitical developments.
Ukraine’s Ministry of Culture and Information Policy welcomed the development and announced that, until the de-occupation of Crimea, the “Scythian Gold” would be temporarily stored at the Kyiv-Pechersk Lavra.
