Community · Amsterdam, Netherlands, and Indonesia
Netherlands to return the Banjarmasin Diamond to Indonesia
When and where in Indonesia will the public see the Banjarmasin Diamond?
At Indonesia's request, the Netherlands is returning 20 cultural objects that the Dutch government says were wrongfully removed during the colonial period. They include the Banjarmasin Diamond, a 38-carat diamond from the regalia of the Sultan of Banjarmasin. The transfer was agreed on 9 October 2026; the objects will be handed over later.
What was agreed?
In response to a request from Indonesia, the Netherlands is returning 20 cultural objects. The Dutch government says they were wrongfully removed during the colonial period, for example through theft or the use of force.
Eighteen of the objects were held by the Wereldmuseum and two by the Rijksmuseum. The Dutch government says extensive provenance research showed that all 20 were lost involuntarily. The official transfer took place on 9 October 2026 at Indonesia House in Amsterdam, and the objects will be handed over later.
What is coming home?
- The Banjarmasin Diamond: a 38-carat cut diamond that was once part of the regalia of the Sultan of Banjarmasin.
- A handwritten Quran that belonged to Teuku Umar.
- Six wayang beber scrolls: Javanese ritual scrolls made of beaten tree-bark paper, dating from 1633 to 1669.
A second agreement
ANTARA, Indonesia’s state news agency, reports that Indonesia will also receive 30,190 items from the Eugène Dubois Collection. Four earlier-returned items from that collection, including a Homo erectus skullcap, are already on display at the National Museum of Indonesia.
Indonesia’s Ministry of Culture says it will manage returned objects around three principles: care and conservation, joint scientific research and wider public access through education.
The Dutch Colonial Collections Committee is reviewing further requests from Indonesia and Sri Lanka.
Where to see Indonesia’s history
The sources do not say where the 20 objects will be displayed. If you want to visit, WorldMuseumGuide, which has the same owner as Small Good Things, has a page on the National Museum of Indonesia and a guide to museums across Indonesia.
Sources & reporting notes
We checked the Dutch government's release of 9 October 2026 and ANTARA's English report of 11 October. No source we checked gives a date for the physical handover or says where in Indonesia the 20 objects will be shown. The Dutch release gives the diamond as 38 carats; one Dutch-language site says about 36. Figures for the separate Dubois Collection differ between outlets, so we use ANTARA's.
- Government of the Netherlands · 9 October 2026
The Dutch government's announcement listing the 20 objects, their museums and the provenance findings.
- ANTARA News · 11 October 2026
Indonesia's account, including the Dubois Collection agreement and the Ministry of Culture's plans.
Have a correction or a confirmed update? Contact our editorial team.
Common questions
- What is being returned to Indonesia?
- Twenty cultural objects: 18 from the Wereldmuseum and two from the Rijksmuseum. They include the 38-carat Banjarmasin Diamond, a handwritten Quran that belonged to Teuku Umar and six Javanese wayang beber scrolls dating from 1633 to 1669.
- When will the objects arrive in Indonesia?
- No date has been announced. The Dutch government says the objects will be handed over at a later time.