In a shocking turn of events, thieves carried out a daring heist at a museum in the Netherlands, using explosives to break into the Drents Museum in Assen early Saturday morning. The bold bandits made off with four priceless artifacts, all of which were part of an exhibition showcasing Romanian history.
Among the stolen items were a beautifully adorned gold helmet, 2,500 years old and regarded as a national treasure in Romania, along with four royal gold bracelets dating back to approximately 50 BC. These artifacts were loaned from Romania’s National History Museum for a special exhibit called “Dacia – Land of Gold and Silver,” which had opened in the Netherlands last July and was just about to end. It seems the criminals were well aware of this fact, as they headed straight for the display cases holding the Dacian relics after breaking through the museums only external wall, escaping immediately after looting that collection.
The Dacians, an ancient people who lived in what is now modern-day Romania, inhabited a large region near the Carpathian Mountains and west of the Black Sea during the second century BC. This area was a melting pot of Greek, Celtic, Thracian, Scythian, and Persian influences, all of which are reflected in the exquisite artifacts on display.
The scintillating exhibit, which featured over 50 Romanian treasures made of gold and silver, primarily focused on the time just before the Roman conquest of Dacia in 106 AD.
As the exhibition was about to end, staff members from the National History Museum of Romania had planned to travel to the Netherlands to pack up the collection and return the artifacts to Romania, only to receive the stunning news that they wouldn’t be able to bring back everything that had been sent.
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Two Nations Mourn a Tragic Cultural Loss
Needless to say, this stunning development has shaken up cultural officials in both Romania and the Netherlands.
“This is a tragic day for both the Drents Museum in Assen and the National History Museum of Romania in Bucharest,” said Harry Tupan, the Drents Museum’s general director, in a statement released to the press. “We are deeply shocked by what occurred last night. In our 170-year history, we have never experienced an incident of this magnitude. We are also profoundly saddened by what this means for our colleagues in Romania.”
Helmet of Cotofenesti, 450 to 400 BC, loaned to Drents Museum by National History Museum of Romania. (Drents Museum).
The most valuable of the stolen Dacian items is the Helmet of Cotofenesti, a solid gold headpiece revered for its exquisite artistry and craftsmanship. Remarkably well-preserved, with the exception of a single missing piece from the skull cap, the helmet is intricately designed and feature images of a variety of mythical creatures. On each cheek piece, it includes a depiction of a ram being sacrificed, and the eyes of the helmet were shaped to protect the wearer from evil spirits.
Weighing nearly 2.2 pounds, the helmet was discovered by children in the late 1920s in the village of Poiana Cotofenesti, now known as Varbilau, after rain had washed the soil away beneath it. Later analysis indicated that the artifact had come from an Iron Age Thracian tribe, dating back to 450 to 400 BC.
On the Romanian side, the news of the theft has been met with sadness and disbelief.
“This is more than just a theft; it’s a deep wound to the Romanian community,” said Claudia Marcu, a journalist who visited the exhibition earlier this month. “For Romanians, this is akin to the Dutch losing a painting like Rembrandt’s ‘The Night Watch.’ It’s absolutely devastating.”
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Also stolen were the spiral gold bracelets, a type of elite jewelry believed to have been worn on the upper arm. The bracelets, originating from the Dacian capital of Sarmizegetusa Regia, were part of a collection of 24 pieces discovered in sacrificial pits within an ancient sacred zone.
An International Investigation is Launched
At around 3:45 a.m. on Saturday, police were alerted to an explosion at the museum. The blast caused significant damage to the building, blowing a large hole in the outer wall, but fortunately no one was injured.
Authorities in Assen are currently conducting an investigation with assistance from Interpol, and they believe several suspects may be involved, although no arrests have been made at this time. Seeking help from the public, they have released grainy security footage showing at least three hooded figures attempting to open the museum’s door, before an explosion and sparks are visible on the video off to the side.
Dacian bracelet from 50 BC, loaned to Drents Museum by National History Museum of Romania. (Drents Museum).
In a (possibly) related development, the police are investigating a strange incident involving a suspicious vehicle. At approximately 4:15 a.m., they received a report of a car fire in another part of the city. No one was found at the scene of the fire, and authorities suspect that the vehicle might be connected to the explosion and robbery. They speculate that the suspects may have switched to a different vehicle and set this one alight either to create a distraction or destroy evidence of their crime.
As everyone awaits word on the possible arrest of suspects, Romanian Prime Minister Marcel Ciolacu expressed his outrage on social media, calling the stolen items “irreplaceable” and emphasizing the need for their return to Romania. He also announced the creation of a crisis team, which includes representatives from Romanian law enforcement, the Ministry of Culture, the Ministry of Justice, and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, to assist in the recovery effort.
Top image: The Drents Museum in Assens, Netherlands.
Source: Drents Museum/CC By-SA 2.0.
By Nathan Falde
Source: www.ancient-origins.net