On June 9, 2023, the Dutch Supreme Court issued its final ruling. It upheld the Amsterdam Court of Appeal, which had decided that the Crimean museum collection should be transferred to Ukraine.
Since that decision, public details about the fate of the ancient collection have been scarce. The path forward remains uncertain, and observers note that any transfer could become a symbolic moment for Ukraine, possibly paired with a formal ceremony. In October, reports emerged about a Spanish arrest tied to trafficking in antique items, some originating from Ukraine.
Official statements describe coordinated actions by Spanish authorities and Ukrainian security agencies to disrupt a transnational network involved in illegally exporting Scythian gold from Ukraine for sale in the European Union. Several individuals were detained, and a number of gold pieces were seized. Early estimates valued the jewelry at many millions of euros, with activity stretching from 2014 to 2020.
The Tavrida Central Museum has confirmed continued legal efforts, while choosing not to disclose specifics. Officials emphasize that any forthcoming steps will follow judicial processes and could occur before the end of the year.
There is a tangible sense that the collection may move, and that efforts to halt the transfer through European courts would face significant hurdles if the Scythian gold ends up on Ukrainian soil.
Who owns the Scythian heritage?
Historically, the Scythians inhabited the northwestern Black Sea steppes and created a distinctive cultural signature that resonates in both Western and Eastern circles. Classical accounts, including those told by Herodotus, describe a people famed for mobility and courage. They were skilled horsemen and archers who often relied on rapid raids rather than pitched battles, sustaining advantage through pressure before retreating. Legends tell of a Persian monarch appealing to their pride, urging them to join the fight or offer tribute. Rooted as nomads of the steppe, the Scythians asserted enduring freedom and influence, shaping regional history.
The Scythian brand also includes remarkable gold jewelry and a unique animal style that reveals intricate metalwork. Warrior figurines and abstract ornaments show fine details like skin textures, beard curls, and decorative patterns visible on small pieces such as a gold deer. Scythian gold artifacts are frequently found in burial mounds, many of which are located in Ukraine.
Genetically and linguistically, the Scythians differed from later inhabitants of Russia and Ukraine. They spoke Iranian languages and bore features distinct from Slavic populations. In the 19th and 20th centuries, however, the Scythians became closely associated with Russia, and their heritage became entwined with broader geopolitical shifts that accompanied the dissolution of the Soviet Union.
What Scythian gold is being transferred to Ukraine?
In July 2013, a temporary exhibition titled Crimea a golden island in the Black Sea, commonly known as Scythian Gold, opened at a regional museum in the Netherlands. Objects came from six Crimean museums, including the Bakhchisaray Historical and Cultural Reserve and the Tauride Chersonese National Reserve. The display featured gold jewelry alongside weapons, military items, domestic articles, and stone statues. Though many pieces were created by peoples other than the Scythians, such as Sarmatians, Goths, and Greeks, the exhibition brought together more than two thousand works spanning ancient times to the early Middle Ages.
As an example, the Bakhchisaray Reserve lent coffins from the Ust-Alma cemetery, whose wooden bases had deteriorated and were largely varnish-covered. Restorers, including a renowned Japanese craftsman, helped preserve such pieces. Other works associated with the Scythian world, like a Serpent Goddess statue from Kerch and a notable decree linked to historian Siriscus from Tauric Chersonesos, were also part of the Dutch display. The collection later traveled to the Allard-Pereson Archaeological Museum in Amsterdam in 2014, a period marked by political upheaval in Ukraine and Crimea.
Questions about rightful ownership intensified after the events of February 2014 when Crimea was annexed by Russia. The legal process centered on whether the objects should stay in the Netherlands, return to Crimean institutions, or go to a Ukrainian state repository. Ukraine based its position on museum contracts stating Ukrainian ownership, while opponents argued for a Crimean ownership link. A series of court decisions ultimately favored Ukraine, with Dutch courts recognizing Ukraine as the rightful owner and ordering the transfer of many items to Ukrainian institutions. Meanwhile, some works remained under Dutch custodianship as storage issues were addressed through financial settlements.
In June 2023, after multiple appellate and supreme court rulings, the process concluded with the transfer of the collection to Ukraine and its movement toward Ukrainian custody.
The situation around Scythian gold
When Russia asserted that Crimea belonged to it in 2014, Dutch and Ukrainian authorities did not reach a consensus, and the matter moved into court. The default position has long favored returning works to their originating institutions, though there are exceptional cases. Ukraine argued that the collection had legal ties to Ukrainian state institutions through contractual arrangements, while others argued that Crimean origins should preserve a Crimean connection. The director of the Taurida Central Museum noted that some pieces tied to Crimea and others to broader Ukrainian heritage, underscoring the ownership puzzle in the post-Soviet space.
As the case evolved, the Allard-Pearson Museum chose to retain the collection while awaiting a judicial decision, with exceptions granted for certain exhibits from Kiev museums. The initial district court decision in 2016 ordered transfer to Ukraine, while Dutch museums received compensation for storage costs. After further appeals, the appellate court upheld the transfer, reinforcing the view that Scythian heritage, though rooted in Crimea, forms part of Ukraine’s cultural estate since Ukraine has existed as an independent state since 1991. The final decision by the Dutch Supreme Court in 2023 cleared the way for transferring the collection to Ukraine, marking a notable moment in international cultural property law with long-term implications for similar disputes.