Washington dc: The Department of Antiquities has announced the successful repatriation of Cypriot antiquities from the United States and Belgium. In a ceremony held at the Embassy of Cyprus in Washington DC, two antiquities were officially handed over. These include a clay chariot and a Bicolor IV pottery flask, both dating back to the Cypro-Archaic period (700-600 BC).
According to Cyprus News Agency, the antiquities were first identified in 2024 at an auction at the ‘Art for Eternity’ gallery in New York by vigilant officials from the Department of Antiquities. This department is tasked with monitoring the illegal trafficking of Cypriot artifacts online. Following this discovery, a collaborative effort ensued between the Cyprus Police, Interpol Nicosia, the Office for Combating the Illegal Possession and Trafficking of Antiquities, and the Law Office of the Republic. Together, they sent a formal request to US authorities for the return of the antiquities.
The US Department of Justice and the FBI intervened, leading the ‘Art for Eternity’ gallery to agree on the return of the items to Cyprus. This cooperation highlights the international commitment to preserving cultural heritage.
In addition to the recovery in the US, a parallel ceremony took place at the Vanderkindere auction house in Brussels. Here, an amphora belonging to the Bicolor IV pottery of the Cypro-Archaic I period (750-600 BC) was handed over to members of the Permanent Representation of Cyprus. This artifact was identified at an auction in 2025 at the same auction house.
The successful recovery in Belgium was the result of coordinated actions by the Department of Antiquities, the Cyprus Police, Interpol Nicosia, the Office for Combating Illegal Possession and Trafficking of Antiquities, the International Legal Cooperation Unit of the Ministry of Justice and Public Order, and Eurojust. The Belgian authorities’ intervention facilitated the return of the antiquity, underscoring the importance of international legal cooperation in cultural preservation.