More than just a helmet: this is history
01 February 2025
The Drents Museum in Assen, the Netherlands, was hosting an exhibition featuring Romania's Dacian treasure when it was targeted by thieves on Saturday.
Dutch prosecutors confirmed the theft of several valuable artifacts, including the golden Dacian helmet from Coțofenești, dated to the 5th-4th centuries BC, and three Dacian bracelets from the second half of the 1st century BC.
The helmet is an invaluable part of Europe's cultural heritage, as it is one of the best-preserved artifacts from the Dacians. Made from 800 grams of solid gold it is believed to be a ceremonial piece, most likely belonging to a woman or a child.
It was discovered over a century ago by a couple of children playing in a forest and some reports state that it was used as a decorative piece in a villager's home until recovered by the state.
 | Alexandra Drugescu-Radulescu While craftsmanship was among the strongest suits of former inhabitants of the territory between the Danube and the Carpathians, very few were literate. As such, Dacia`s history remains carved in objects, not on written tomes. The Dacians were an ancient Indo-European people who lived in present-day Romania, known for their advanced metallurgy, hilltop fortresses, and fierce resistance against Rome. Under King Decebalus, they fought against Emperor Trajan but were conquered in 106 AD, leading to Dacia's integration into the Roman Empire. This fusion of Dacian and Roman culture played a crucial role in shaping Romania's identity, with Dacian heritage still celebrated as a symbol of national pride. |
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