Priceless artifacts looted by Dutch on display in Colombo

COLOMBO (News 1st); Six priceless Kandyan artefacts looted during the Dutch colonial occupation of Ceylon, later named Sri Lanka, were officially put on public display at the  National Museum in Colombo.

According to the President's Media Division, these Kandyan artifacts will be on public display at the Colombo National Museum from Tuesday (05) until further notice.

The exhibits include golden and silver kasthãné (ceremonial swords), two maha thuwakku (wall guns), and Lewke Disave’s cannon, which were originally taken as war booty by the Dutch East India Company in 1765, during the siege of the Palace of Kandy.

On the 29th of November, six colonial-era treasures, including a cannon inlaid with gold, silver, and bronze, known as "Lewke's cannon," that were looted by the Dutch, and handed over to Sri Lanka.

The official handover was made by the Ambassador of the Netherlands to Sri Lanka at the Bandaranaike International Airport. 

At the request of Sri Lanka, the Netherlands returned the six objects of cultural significance, and the Dutch government had noted that the objects were wrongfully brought to the Netherlands during the colonial period, acquired under duress or by looting.