PHOTO The National History Museum of Romania presented the Coțofenești Helmet before restoration / The artifact will be stabilized and returned to the Historical Treasury exhibition

The Coțofenești Helmet, one of the most valuable pieces of Romania’s archaeological heritage, was presented on Monday, November 2, 2026, at the National History Museum of Romania, in the presence of Culture Minister Ioana Ciocan and Deputy Prime Minister Marian Neacșu. The piece is undergoing investigation and conservation-restoration, after being recovered following the theft from the Drents Museum in Assen, the Netherlands.

Inquam Photos / George Calin

MNIR specialists decided that the exhibit should be presented in a horizontal position, on a conservation cushion specially made to ensure its stability and protect fragile areas. The restoration will include reattaching the right cheek guard, which became detached in the area of an intervention carried out in 2019, as well as returning the helmet to its original diameter, since the piece is slightly flattened.

Inquam Photos / George Calin

On August 6, the museum launched a page dedicated to the project, where the public can follow the stages of the work. The institution intends for the helmet to return to the “Historical Treasure” exhibition after the interventions are completed.

The helmet and two Dacian bracelets returned to Romania on April 21, 2026, under special escort. The objects had been stolen in January 2025 using explosives, and the helmet was recovered at the beginning of April 2026. Made of gold in the 4th century BC, the artifact was discovered in the 1920s, in Prahova County.