Minister Gouke Moes has decided to return the collection based on the advice of the independent Colonial Collections Committee. This collection is an important source for research into human evolution. Important pieces from the Dubois collection include a skull cap, a tooth, and a femur attributed to a Homo erectus, a hominid that is a link between apes and humans.

Gouke Moes, Minister of Education, Culture and Science: “The Committees advice is based on extensive and careful research. We will work together with Naturalis and Indonesian partners with the same care to ensure the transfer is well organized. Indonesia and the Netherlands find it important that scientific research with this collection continues.”

Marcel Beukeboom, General Director of Naturalis: “The thorough advice has provided new legal insights, making the return the right choice. We look forward to continuing our research collaboration with Indonesian scientists.”

Unconditional Return

The fossils were excavated in Indonesia at the end of the 19th century by Dutch scientist Eugène Dubois. The Colonial Collections Committee concludes that research shows the Dubois collection was never owned by the Netherlands.

Furthermore, the Committee believes that the circumstances under which the fossils were obtained make it likely that they were taken against the will of the people, causing injustice to the population. Fossils held spiritual and economic significance for the local people, and coercion was used to identify sites.

The Committee therefore advises unconditional return of the Dubois collection to Indonesia. This is the sixth time the Netherlands has made a return based on the Committees advice.

Great Scientific Value

The Dubois collection is of great value for scientific research. Naturalis Biodiversity Center and Indonesian scientists have been collaborating intensively for decades in research on the Dubois collection. This return is a new chapter in the history of the collection and a next step in the strong cultural and scientific collaboration between Indonesia and the Netherlands.