Fly over Galle, a beautifully preserved Dutch colonial fort city on Sri Lanka’s southern coast, where red-tiled rooftops, ...

People view colonial-era artifacts that have been returned from the Netherlands, at the main Museum in Colombo, Sri Lanka, Dec. 5, 2023.

Two Dutch museums returned nearly 500 cultural objects to Indonesia and Sri Lanka that were looted during the colonial era, including gold and silverware, statues, weapons and hundreds of artworks.

Dutch to return colonial treasures to Indonesia, Sri Lanka The decision to return some 478 objects followed recommendations by a government-appointed commission last year looking into illegal ...

The Dutch East India Company took it when it plundered the kingdom of Sri Lanka in 1765. Dutch officials say it's time to return objects that should never have been in the Netherlands to begin with.

Sri Lanka asked the Netherlands to return the artefacts after the Dutch government approved the restitution of historic objects in 2021.

The Netherlands said Thursday it will hand back hundreds of colonial-era artifacts to Indonesia and Sri Lanka, including a haul of treasure and a gem-encrusted bronze cannon.

The Netherlands returned formal ownership to Sri Lanka of six colonial-era treasures on Monday, including a more than 275-year-old cannon inlaid with gold, silver, bronze and rubies.

The Netherlands said on Thursday it would hand back hundreds of colonial-era artifacts to Indonesia and Sri Lanka, including a haul of treasure and a gem-encrusted bronze cannon.