A 2,500-year-old Dacian golden helmet has been recovered and returned to the Drents Museum in Assen more than a year after it was stolen.
Two matching gold bracelets from around 450 BC were also handed back, while a third bracelet remains missing.
The treasures — on loan from Romania’s national history museum for an exhibition about the Dacian world — were placed behind glass in the museum with armed officers on guard.
The items had been part of the “Dacia — empire of gold and silver” show when they were taken.
The theft, carried out by an armed gang that used explosives to force entry, provoked outrage in Romania and prompted questions about security at smaller regional museums.
Dutch police arrested three suspects within days, but the artefacts were not immediately recovered.
The Dutch government later paid about €5.7m in insurance compensation after the robbery; Romanian officials have not publicly detailed what will happen with that money.
Prosecutors and museum staff said the returned objects are being treated carefully as investigations continue.
Dutch public prosecutors said the helmet and two bracelets were handed back following negotiations involving the suspects’ lawyers.
Two men in their mid-30s and a 21-year-old are due to go on trial later this month, and the handover formed part of a pre-trial agreement.
Museum staff reported the helmet had a small dent but can be restored, while the two bracelets appear undamaged.
Romanian and Dutch officials hailed the recovery as an important step, but stressed efforts are ongoing to locate the missing third piece.
Experts have suggested the theft was planned to order, reflecting growing problems with protecting high-value loaned objects in provincial institutions.
In recent years Dutch regional museums have been targeted in other high-profile incidents, including the theft of two Warhol works in 2024 and the 2019 disappearance of a Frans Hals painting.
Former leaders of Romania’s national history museum called the recovery a relief, noting the helmet’s importance as a rare symbol of Dacian society.
Authorities on both sides said cross-border cooperation was key and pledged to keep working until the final bracelet is found.
