Netherlands To Return Colonial-Era Diamond And 19 Other Artifacts To Indonesia

by Stefan J. Bos, Worthy News Chief International Correspondent

AMSTERDAM/JAKARTA/KUTA (Worthy News) – The Netherlands has agreed to return a historic diamond seized during its colonial rule over Indonesia, along with 19 other cultural objects, while advancing plans to transfer thousands of fossils and ancestral remains under an earlier restitution decision.

The agreement includes the 38.23-carat Banjarmasin diamond, once part of the royal regalia of the sultanate of Banjarmasin on the Indonesian island of Borneo, as well as handwritten Islamic manuscripts, weapons and historic gravestones.

Dutch Culture Minister Rianne Letschert and Indonesian Culture Minister Fadli Zon signed agreements Friday at the Indonesia House in Amsterdam covering the 20 cultural artifacts and the remaining items in the extensive Dubois fossil collection.

The diamond was seized during Dutch military intervention in Banjarmasin in 1859, when colonial authorities became involved in a succession dispute that eventually led to the abolition of the sultanate.

The precious stone, which symbolized royal authority, was subsequently transported to the Netherlands and recut. It eventually entered the Rijksmuseum’s collection in Amsterdam, where it has remained a reminder of the country’s colonial past.

COLONIAL INJUSTICE ADDRESSED

“With this return, based on the advice of the Colonial Collections Committee, we are contributing to the restoration of historical injustice,” Letschert said in a statement.

“These objects have great cultural and historical value for Indonesia. They should never have been in the Netherlands. We are now righting the wrong,” the Dutch minister added.

The Dutch government said provenance research had established that all 20 cultural objects were involuntarily removed from their original owners during the colonial period.

Eighteen are currently managed by the Wereldmuseum, while two belong to the national collection held by the Rijksmuseum.

The artifacts include a handwritten Quran associated with Acehnese resistance leader Teuku Umar, a traditional sword from Aceh, four manuscripts from the former Aceh Sultanate, six Javanese ritual scrolls dating from 1633 to 1669, and historic tomb decorations.

HISTORIC FOSSILS RETURNING

The agreements also cover the Dubois collection, named after Dutch anatomist Eugène Dubois, whose discoveries in Indonesia during the late 19th century became influential in research into human origins and the theory of evolution.

The collection includes fossils attributed to Homo erectus, commonly known as Java Man, discovered on the Indonesian island of Java in the 1890s.

Dutch authorities agreed last year to return the collection, which includes more than 30,000 objects and remains, following a decision by Letschert’s predecessor, Gouke Moes.

Four major specimens, including a skullcap, thighbone, molar and engraved shell, were transferred to Indonesia in December 2025 and are now displayed at the National Museum of Indonesia.

The remaining collection includes 29,763 objects and 427 ancestral skeletal remains held by the Naturalis Biodiversity Center in Leiden, according to Indonesia’s state news agency Antara.

INDONESIA WELCOMES AGREEMENT

Indonesian Culture Minister Fadli Zon described the repatriation as the largest in his country’s history, emphasizing its importance for national identity, historical justice and scientific research.

He said the return of the Dubois collection would strengthen Indonesia’s ability to study and present discoveries connected to the origins and development of early humans.

The agreements signed Friday cover approximately 30,210 objects and remains in total, although the physical transfer will take place in stages.

The 20 cultural artifacts are expected to be handed over early next year, while preparations continue for transporting the remaining fossils and ancestral remains.

The return follows growing efforts by European museums and governments to examine how collections were acquired during colonial rule and whether objects should be restored to their countries of origin.

DUTCH COLONIAL LEGACY

Indonesia was ruled for centuries by the Netherlands before declaring independence on August 17, 1945, following Japan’s defeat in the Second World War.

Dutch attempts to reestablish colonial control triggered a four-year armed struggle that ended with the Netherlands formally transferring sovereignty in December 1949.

The Netherlands has since acknowledged the widespread use of extreme violence by Dutch forces during Indonesia’s independence struggle, although debates continue over accountability and the country’s broader colonial legacy.

In recent years, Dutch authorities have returned several important Indonesian cultural objects, including historic treasures from the former kingdoms of Lombok and Bali.

The latest agreements mark another step in efforts by the Netherlands and Indonesia to address the fate of cultural and scientific collections acquired during colonial rule.