An archaeologist who discovered what are believed to be the remains of d'Artagnan has been detained in the Netherlands
An archaeologist has been detained in the Netherlands after becoming embroiled in a high-profile scandal surrounding the alleged remains of d’Artagnan found in Maastricht. The dispute between the researcher and city authorities erupted over who exactly owns the discovered bones and how they could be transported for examination, according to NOS.
In the Netherlands, the story of the possible remains of the legendary musketeer d’Artagnan unexpectedly turned into a criminal scandal, with renowned archaeologist Wim Deijkman at its center; he was detained due to a dispute with city authorities over bones found during excavations. What began as a sensational scientific discovery and even earned him an official award ultimately resulted in accusations of concealing archaeological finds and a conflict with the Maastricht municipality.
According to NOS, Deijkman worked as a city archaeologist for over 40 years and was the one who participated in the excavations at the church where a skeleton was discovered in the spring that may belong to a French soldier and the prototype for the hero of “The Three Musketeers.” After the discovery, he actively promoted the theory that the remains were linked to d’Artagnan, and a DNA analysis conducted abroad was supposed to provide the final answer.
The situation escalated after some of the bones—a humerus and two teeth—were sent to the Institute of Forensic Medicine in Munich, and the archaeologist later personally retrieved them. City officials stated that all such finds legally belong to the municipality, so the researcher’s actions were deemed a violation of the rules for handling archaeological materials.
Wim Deikman himself denies any intention to break the law and explains his actions as a precaution and a desire to protect the find. “The trip to Munich and the hotel stay cost me at least 500 euros,” he said, adding that the conflict, in his opinion, arose due to tense relations with colleagues and an overreaction by the heritage protection agency.
He also claims that after being asked to hand over the remains, he decided to temporarily hide them at a friend’s place to avoid what he perceived as poor logistics or the loss of historically significant materials. “Unfortunately, we now have to play by these rules,” the archaeologist said, acknowledging that the situation had gone beyond the bounds of scientific debate.
The Maastricht municipality, however, claims that the excavations were conducted in violation of professional standards and that all finds must remain under the city’s control. Meanwhile, the story of the possible remains of d’Artagnan continues to attract the attention of scientists and the media, as the final results of the DNA analysis could either confirm the sensation or finally put an end to one of the most sensational archaeological mysteries of recent years.
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