More than 100 Cypriot antiquities that had been handed over to the High Commission by the United Kingdom police authorities and private individuals were repatriated on December 3, with the Department of Antiquities pointing out that it continues its intensive efforts to protect the cultural heritage of both Cyprus and of other countries, always in close cooperation with the National Commission for the Suppression of Trafficking and Illegal Trafficking in Cultural Heritage.
According to a statement from the Department of Antiquities of the Deputy Ministry of Culture, on December 3, 2024, the repatriation of more than 100 Cypriot antiquities (as well as quantities of antiquities fragments), which had been handed over to the High Commission by the United Kingdom police authorities and private individuals, was completed.
It is noted that the antiquities include stone tools from the Neolithic period (7th-6th millennium BC), clay vessels dating from the Early Bronze Age (c. 2000 BC) to the Medieval period, a Cypriot-Archaic figurine , clay lamps of the Roman period, jewelry of various periods, copper coins and religious images, mainly from the 19th - early 20th century. A number of fragments of stone, clay and glass vessels and mosaics were also repatriated.
It is added that the antiquities, which had been illegally exported from Cyprus during the 1960s and 1970s, were handed over to the High Commission, either after relevant requests from the Department of Antiquities (through the Office for Combating Illegal Possession and Trafficking of Antiquities and Interpol-Nicosia), to the UK authorities to withdraw antiquities from auctions, or after voluntary donations from people living in the United Kingdom who wish to contribute to the protection of the cultural heritage of Cyprus.
It is also reported that the repatriation took place after the coordinated actions of the Department of Antiquities and the National Commission for the Suppression of the Smuggling and Illicit Trafficking of Cultural Heritage and in particular the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (High Commission of the Republic of Cyprus in London), the Ministry of Justice and Public Order , of the Cyprus Police (Office for Combating Illegal Possession and Trafficking of Antiquities & Interpol-Nicosia), the Department of Customs, the Department of Civil Aviation and the Church of Cyprus.
It is added that the Department of Antiquities, as the competent Department of the Republic of Cyprus, for the protection and management of the archaeological heritage of Cyprus, continues its intensive efforts to protect the cultural heritage of both Cyprus and other countries, always in close cooperation with the National Commission for the Suppression of Scavenging and Illegal Trafficking in Cultural Heritage.
As explained, among these efforts are the intensification of actions to locate, identify, claim and repatriate antiquities that have been illegally exported, the control of imports of cultural objects, the development of new technologies in this field, the strengthening of the training of the competent personnel principles in matters of combating the illegal trafficking of antiquities and the awareness of the public, whose role is considered decisive for the protection of our common cultural heritage.
Finally, it is noted that "the Cypriot authorities wish to especially thank the High Commission of the United Kingdom in Nicosia, the Metropolitan Police of London and the North Yorkshire Police, whose assistance was decisive for the positive outcome of the cases. Special thanks are extended to all the individuals who have voluntarily decided to return the repatriated antiquities, to Lesley Hoyes Hunt and to others who wish to remain anonymous."
Source: KYPE
