A Cypriot antiquity from the Cypro-Archaic period (750-475 BC) has been returned to the Republic of Cyprus after it was identified for sale in an online auction and subsequently withdrawn.
The handover took place at The Cotswold Auction Company in Cirencester. The object was received on behalf of the Republic by Cultural Counsellor Marios Theocharous of the Cyprus High Commission in London, following coordination with the Department of Antiquities, which monitors the internet for illicit trafficking of Cypriot cultural property.
According to the Department, the auction house cooperated fully. Auctioneer and valuer Niall Fry welcomed the Cypriot delegation and delivered the piece, noting the company’s commitment to responsible practice and respect for cultural heritage. The Republic of Cyprus was commended for consistent and systematic efforts to identify and repatriate antiquities.
The artefact is a ceramic juglet, Black-on-Red II (V), approximately 7 cm in height. It was safely transferred to the Cyprus High Commission, where it will be kept temporarily before its transport to Cyprus by Antiquities Department staff.
Authorities said the repatriation forms part of ongoing actions by the Department of Antiquities, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the Cyprus Police to safeguard cultural heritage and secure the return of antiquities illegally exported from the island.
Source: CNA