A significant collection of artifacts taken from Sri Lanka during the Dutch colonial period and recently returned to the country is now on public display at the National Museum. The official exhibition opening ceremony was presided over by Minister of Buddha Sasana and Cultural Affairs Vidura Wickramanayake and Presidential Senior Adviser on National Security and Chief of Presidential Staff Sagala Ratnayake.
The artifacts, which date back to the year 1765, were confirmed to have been taken by the Dutch East India Trading Company during the siege of the royal palace in Kandy. The collection includes a gold-sheathed chestnut, a silver-sheathed chestnut, a gold-plated knife, two large wall guns (cannons), and a cannon believed to have belonged to Lewke Disawe.
Diplomatic efforts were initiated to secure the return of these artifacts to Sri Lanka based on subsequent research confirming their origins. The Dutch government officially handed over the six artifacts as a gesture to strengthen diplomatic relations between the two countries.
The public exhibition at the Colombo National Museum will provide an opportunity for visitors to appreciate these historical items, shedding light on Sri Lanka’s colonial past. The artifacts will be on display from December 5 onwards, and a special commemorative stamp was issued to mark this historic occasion.
