Archeologist arrested for taking bones believed to belong to French musketeer d'Artagnan
The suspected discovery of the remains of the famous French musketeer d’Artagnan in Maastricht has taken a strange turn. The archaeologist involved in the excavation, Wim Dijkman, has been arrested because he refuses to return the bones to the municipality, local media reported.
Dijkman served as city archaeologist for Maastricht for over 40 years before his retirement and was the one to uncover the bones. He even received a reward for potentially discovering the grave of the French national hero, known abroad primarily as the fourth Musketeer, NOS reported. According to local news sources, Dijkman thinks the municipality is interfering too much in the discovery and giving him too little credit for his work.
Dijkman’s family told De Limburger that the police took him away on Wednesday afternoon. The Public Prosecution Service (OM) told ANP that he was released later on Wednesday, but remains a suspect in the criminal investigation that has been opened against him.
The discovery of the skeleton in a Maastricht church became global news in March. Whether the bones are really d’Artagnan’s must be determined by DNA research. That research was recently conducted in Germany. A contact of Dijkman had brought an upper arm bone and two teeth to the Institut für Rechtsmedizin in Munich. Dijkman picked up the bones afterward, according to L1.
Dijkman said that the municipality had proposed the German lab send the bones back to the Netherlands by post, but he considered that too dangerous and went to pick them up himself. It is unclear whether he and the municipality made any arrangements about this. What is clear is that he then refused to return the bones.
According to the local newspaper De Nieuwe Ster Maastricht, the Heritage Inspectorate showed up at his home on Monday to collect the remains, but the archeologist told them that he had placed the bones with a friend.
The municipality now accuses Dijkman of not carrying out the excavation according to the rules. By not returning the bones, he is also violating the Heritage Act, which states that archaeological remains are the property of the municipality.
The archaeologist acknowledged to De Limburger that he had broken the law by concealing the remains, but he believes he acted with integrity out of a sense of history. “It has become a matter of principle,” he told the newspaper.
He also told the De Nieuwe Ster Maastricht that he believes the municipality should reimburse his travel expenses. “The trip to Munich and the hotel stay cost me at least €500.” According to him, his former colleagues at the municipality are jealous. “That is why they are now sending the Heritage Inspectorate after me. As if I were a member of a criminal organization.”
