Indonesia Repatriates Three Historical Artefacts from the Netherlands, Including Teuku Umar's Quran

The Indonesian government has welcomed the return of two historical artefacts from the Netherlands, namely a 13th-century Shiva statue from East Java, a 15th-century Damalung inscription from Central Java, and Teuku Umar’s Quran to follow, as part of efforts to repatriate cultural heritage taken during the colonial period.

This repatriation was agreed upon by the Repatriation Team of the Ministry of Culture and the Dutch Colonial Collections Committee, and finalised at a meeting between Culture Minister Fadli Zon and Dutch Minister of Education, Culture and Science Gauke Moes in The Hague, Netherlands, at the end of 2026.

The return agreement was signed on 31 March 2026 in The Hague between the Indonesian Ambassador to the Netherlands, Laurentius Amrih Jinangkung, and the Dutch Director General of Culture and Media, Youssef Louakili. The two artefacts were previously part of the collections at the Wereldmuseum Amsterdam and Wereldmuseum Leiden.

Indonesian Culture Minister Fadli Zon emphasised that this return is an important step in restoring historical justice and strengthening national cultural identity.

“This return is not merely the transfer of artefacts, but the restoration of collective memory and national dignity, as well as a concrete step towards historical reconciliation,” said Fadli, as quoted in a press release on Wednesday (8/4/2026).

This return continues the positive trend of Indonesia-Netherlands cooperation in the cultural field, including the successful repatriation of the Java Man fossil in 2025 after more than a century in the Netherlands. The tracing of the Damalung inscription also demonstrates the importance of international research collaboration.

Currently, the process of shipping the artefacts to Indonesia is underway, and they are planned to be handed over to the National Museum of Indonesia. The Indonesian government has reaffirmed its commitment to strengthening efforts to track and repatriate cultural heritage abroad, while opening up international research cooperation and ensuring broad public access for educational and scientific purposes.