A 2,000-year-old gold treasure from four museums in Crimea belongs to Ukraine, according to a court ruling. The Supreme Court of the Netherlands decided on Friday in The Hague that the valuable cultural objects must be returned to Ukraine. This ended the legal dispute after about seven years. The gold hoard became entangled between the fronts of the Russia-Ukraine conflict.
The cultural treasures of Crimea came to Amsterdam in 2014 and were displayed there in the Allard Pierson Museum. The hundreds of items include the “Scythian gold”, jewels, weapons and masks. But in 2014, the Black Sea peninsula was annexed by Russia. The Amsterdam museum did not return the valuable objects after the exhibition because it did not know who the rightful owner was.
Both the four museums, now under Russian control, and the Ukrainian state have filed claims. But the courts ruled in all cases that Ukraine was the legal owner. “The State of Ukraine has a legitimate interest in protecting its cultural heritage,” the Supreme Court ruled.
Showpieces kept secret
The “Krimgoud” is managed in a secret location by the Amsterdam Museum. Showpieces include a 2,400-year-old helmet worn by the Scythians, as well as 2,000-year-old Chinese lacquered boxes from the Han dynasty, filigree brooches, and a gold scabbard.
Source: Krone
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