he open warfare between Russia and Ukraine has nearly reached its three–year anniversary without resolution. But there has been one front on which Ukraine is a clear victor: gold. Specifically, a set of ancient gold artifacts.
For years, the two nations have battled in both the court of law and the court of public opinion. At stake? The fate of gold relics from the Scythians, an ancient people who thrived in the Crimea, which despite being occupied and annexed by Russia remains an internationally recognized part of Ukraine.
At the heart of the treasure fight was something perhaps more important than the gold itself. The nation that holds the Scythian artifacts can claim it is the true guardian of Crimea's cultural heritage.
The items have become a symbol of the broader conflict between Ukraine and Russia and raise a difficult question. What should one do with priceless pieces of cultural heritage stuck in limbo between two nations in combat?
The Scythian hoard
In one way, there’s no dispute: The items in question are exquisite. The 565 items include a gold ceremonial helmet dating back to the 4th century BCE, ceremonial daggers, and delicate, intricate pieces of jewelry.
They are extraordinary examples of artwork created by the Scythian civilization, a nomadic people of Iranian origin, who migrated westward and settled on the shores of the Black Sea, creating an enduring empire centered on the Crimea between the 7th and 8th centuries BCE.
The artifacts are exceptional not only for their craftsmanship but for what they represent. The hoard includes some Chinese lacquer caskets that date back 2,000 years, a testament to the vast reach of Crimea’s trading networks that stretched to China.
And while the Scythians may not be a present–day household name, many are familiar with one piece of Scythian iconography—the representation of Mixoparthenos, a part–woman, part–snake goddess worshipped by the Scythians and now at the center of the logo of the global coffee chain Starbucks.
Relics stranded; relics restored
When Russia occupied and annexed the Crimea in March 2014, it stranded the relics, which were on loan to the Allard Pierson Museum in the Netherlands and had just gone on display a month prior.
Both Ukraine and Russia demanded the museum return the treasures, putting the museum in legal limbo. Ukraine argued the artifacts were a key part of Ukraine’s history and shouldn’t be returned to Crimea for their own protection. Crimean museums argued for the artifacts’ return by insisting the items are Crimean and should hence be returned to Crimea proper.
Later in 2014, the museum initiated legal proceedings in the Dutch courts to determine the rightful owner of the treasures, sparking nearly a decade of legal battles:
- 2016: An Amsterdam district court determined the artifacts should be returned to Ukraine, not Crimean museums now under Russian control
- 2021: A Dutch appeals court affirmed the ruling
- 2023: The Dutch Supreme Court rejected the Crimean museums’ final appeal and the treasures were sent to Ukraine
The Dutch courts deserve no little credit for having successfully navigated a thicket of international conventions related to artifacts and cultural heritage.
A future bargaining chip?
Predictably, Ukraine rejoiced in the court’s decision. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, in a video post on the social media site X, lauded the ruling, saying: “The collection … cannot be returned to Crimea for an obvious reason—it cannot be given to the occupier, the robber.”
The artifacts are now on display in Ukraine.
For its part, Russia decried the ruling. Said Vladimir Konstantinov, chairman of the State Council of the Republic of Crimea: “It was nothing but ordinary plunder of a unique and priceless collection. We will certainly add this to our list of financial claims to Ukraine and the West.”
This statement raises the specter that the Scythian hoard may end up as a bargaining chip, or perhaps a demand, in any future peace negotiations between Ukraine and Russia. If so, the treasures will bear potent witness to the power borne by pieces of cultural heritage when nations seek to make current–day claims on a rich historical legacy.
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The Russia–Ukraine battle over Scythian gold
Late 18th to early 19th century painting, “Scythian Messengers Meet the Persian King Darius I.” Image courtesy of Europeana via Unsplash.
January 6, 2025
A second, unseen battle has run alongside the Russia–Ukraine conflict. It is a battle to be considered the true steward of Crimea’s Scythian cultural heritage, writes Jeremy Fugleberg.
T
he open warfare between Russia and Ukraine has nearly reached its three–year anniversary without resolution. But there has been one front on which Ukraine is a clear victor: gold. Specifically, a set of ancient gold artifacts.
For years, the two nations have battled in both the court of law and the court of public opinion. At stake? The fate of gold relics from the Scythians, an ancient people who thrived in the Crimea, which despite being occupied and annexed by Russia remains an internationally recognized part of Ukraine.
At the heart of the treasure fight was something perhaps more important than the gold itself. The nation that holds the Scythian artifacts can claim it is the true guardian of Crimea's cultural heritage.
The items have become a symbol of the broader conflict between Ukraine and Russia and raise a difficult question. What should one do with priceless pieces of cultural heritage stuck in limbo between two nations in combat?
The Scythian hoard
In one way, there’s no dispute: The items in question are exquisite. The 565 items include a gold ceremonial helmet dating back to the 4th century BCE, ceremonial daggers, and delicate, intricate pieces of jewelry.
They are extraordinary examples of artwork created by the Scythian civilization, a nomadic people of Iranian origin, who migrated westward and settled on the shores of the Black Sea, creating an enduring empire centered on the Crimea between the 7th and 8th centuries BCE.
The artifacts are exceptional not only for their craftsmanship but for what they represent. The hoard includes some Chinese lacquer caskets that date back 2,000 years, a testament to the vast reach of Crimea’s trading networks that stretched to China.
And while the Scythians may not be a present–day household name, many are familiar with one piece of Scythian iconography—the representation of Mixoparthenos, a part–woman, part–snake goddess worshipped by the Scythians and now at the center of the logo of the global coffee chain Starbucks.
Relics stranded; relics restored
When Russia occupied and annexed the Crimea in March 2014, it stranded the relics, which were on loan to the Allard Pierson Museum in the Netherlands and had just gone on display a month prior.
Both Ukraine and Russia demanded the museum return the treasures, putting the museum in legal limbo. Ukraine argued the artifacts were a key part of Ukraine’s history and shouldn’t be returned to Crimea for their own protection. Crimean museums argued for the artifacts’ return by insisting the items are Crimean and should hence be returned to Crimea proper.
Later in 2014, the museum initiated legal proceedings in the Dutch courts to determine the rightful owner of the treasures, sparking nearly a decade of legal battles:
- 2016: An Amsterdam district court determined the artifacts should be returned to Ukraine, not Crimean museums now under Russian control
- 2021: A Dutch appeals court affirmed the ruling
- 2023: The Dutch Supreme Court rejected the Crimean museums’ final appeal and the treasures were sent to Ukraine
The Dutch courts deserve no little credit for having successfully navigated a thicket of international conventions related to artifacts and cultural heritage.
A future bargaining chip?
Predictably, Ukraine rejoiced in the court’s decision. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, in a video post on the social media site X, lauded the ruling, saying: “The collection … cannot be returned to Crimea for an obvious reason—it cannot be given to the occupier, the robber.”
The artifacts are now on display in Ukraine.
For its part, Russia decried the ruling. Said Vladimir Konstantinov, chairman of the State Council of the Republic of Crimea: “It was nothing but ordinary plunder of a unique and priceless collection. We will certainly add this to our list of financial claims to Ukraine and the West.”
This statement raises the specter that the Scythian hoard may end up as a bargaining chip, or perhaps a demand, in any future peace negotiations between Ukraine and Russia. If so, the treasures will bear potent witness to the power borne by pieces of cultural heritage when nations seek to make current–day claims on a rich historical legacy.
