Jakarta, Oct. 2 -- Indonesia is set to receive 28,131 fossils of early human species discovered by paleoanthropologist Eugene Dubois this year under a repatriation arrangement with the Netherlands, Culture Minister Fadli Zon announced.

"The fossils are expected to arrive this year," he stated at a press conference in Jakarta on Thursday.

He explained that the fossils selected for repatriation are the identified specimens from a larger collection of around 30,000 pieces stored in the Netherlands. The Indonesian government has decided to prioritize the return of the identified items first.

Zon noted that the Naturalis Museum in Leiden had been exhibiting the collection with great care, using advanced holographic technology to enhance the...