A priceless ancient gold helmet from Romania, stolen last year from a museum in the Netherlands, has been recovered as part of a plea deal with the suspects. The 2,500-year-old Coțofenești helmet, linked to the lost Dacian civilisation, was unveiled by prosecutors during a news conference in Assen on Thursday.
The helmet, dating from around 450BC, was stolen together with three golden bracelets from the Drents Museum in January last year. Robert van Langh, the museum's director, described the return of all but one bracelet as a 'wow moment', noting that the helmet's depiction of two eyes was meant to protect against misfortune.
The stolen items had been on loan from the Romanian National History Museum in Bucharest. The theft led to international headlines, diplomatic tensions between Romania and the Netherlands, and an international treasure hunt. Dutch police arrested three suspects within days, and their trial is due to begin later this month.
Corien Fahner, the chief public prosecutor, said the helmet and two bracelets were recovered on 1 April as part of a plea deal. Arthur Brand, a Dutch art detective, described the recovery as 'fantastic news for Romania and for the Netherlands', adding that the suspects were arrested so quickly that the helmet had likely not been melted down.
The helmet sustained minor damage, including a dislodged glue repair and a small dent, which can be fixed in an hour. The bracelets are in perfect condition. It remains unclear what will happen regarding the €5.7m compensation paid to Romania last September, as the ministry stated that reimbursement would depend on the condition and number of artefacts returned.
