Repatriation of Cypriot Antiquities from Stuttgart, Germany
The Department of Antiquities, of the Deputy Ministry of Culture, announces that on 26th July 2024, thirty-seven (37) Cypriot Antiquities were repatriated from Stuttgart, Germany.
The antiquities had been removed from Cyprus between 1964 and 1968 by a German citizen, who was, at the time working at the German Embassy in Cyprus. Following his death in 2023, his heir, Ms Eva-Maria Waas, contacted the Embassy of Cyprus in Berlin expressing her desire for the objects to be handed over to the Cypriot authorities and repatriated to Cyprus.
The repatriated antiquities include ceramic vessels dating from the Early-Middle Bronze Age (around 2000 B.C.) to the Medieval period, as well as clay lamps, dating from the Cypro-Classical to the Late Roman period.
The Department of Antiquities, wishes to warmly thank Ms Waas, both for her initiative for the return of the antiquities to Cyprus, as well as her excellent collaboration throughout the repatriation proceedings.
Sincere appreciation is also expressed towards the Embassy of the Republic of Cyprus in Berlin and especially Ambassador Maria Papakyriacou and Mr. Demetris Demetriou, Deputy Chief of Mission, for their valuable contribution in this repatriation case.
The Department of Antiquities, as the competent authority of the Republic of Cyprus for the protection and management of the island’s archaeological heritage, recognises the important contribution that the general public can make towards the repatriation of antiquities and urges those who wish to contribute to contact the Department.
At the same time, the Department of Antiquities will continue its efforts towards strengthening the protection of cultural heritage at a local and an international level, always in close collaboration with the National Committee for Combatting the Looting and Illicit Trafficking of Cultural Heritage.
Repatriation of Cypriot Antiquities from Munich- Aydin Dikmen case
The Department of Antiquities, of the Deputy Ministry of Culture, announces that on the 22nd July 2024, a ceremony took place at the Cyprus Museum marking the repatriation of Cypriot archaeological and ecclesiastical objects that have returned from Munich. The ceremony took place in the presence of His Excellency the President of the Republic of Cyprus Mr. Nikos Christodoulides. Addresses were delivered by the President of the Republic of Cyprus, the Bishop of Karpasia Mr. Christophoros on behalf of the Archbishop of Cyprus and the Director of the Department of Antiquities Dr. Giorgos Georgiou. Ms. Eftychia Zachariou, Curator of Antiquities and President of the National Committee for Combating the Looting and Illegal Trafficking of the Cultural Heritage delivered a lecture titled “Repatriating Cultural Heritage: the experience of Cyprus”. Selected repatriated objects are exhibited in Room 14 of the Cyprus Museum where they will be on display until the beginning of August 2024.
On the 20th June 2024, important Cypriot archaeological and ecclesiastical objects that had been stolen and illegally exported by the looter Aydin Dikmen and held by the German authorities, were repatriated. The repatriation of the objects in question constitutes the final act in a complex and important case, that highlights the numerous and multifaceted consequences of war and occupation.
Many antiquities and ecclesiastical relics, stolen from areas occupied by the Turkish army after 1974, were found in the possession of Aydin Dicken in Munich in 1997. They were seized by the competent authorities in Munich and a long judicial process followed that ended in March 2013, when the judicial authorities of Munich rejected the appeal of Turkish looter Aydin Dikmen against the decision to repatriate antiquities and ecclesiastical objects that had been stolen. Two repatriations followed, with more than 200 archaeological finds and ecclesiastical relics returning to Cyprus in November 2013 and August 2015.
Among the objects repatriated on the 20th June 2024 are picrolite figurines and jewellery of the Chalcolithic period, plank-shaped figurines and pottery of the Early-Middle Bronze Age, clay bird-faced figurines and ritual vessels of the Late Bronze Age, as well as bronze weaponry. A significant part of the repatriated objects are ecclesiastical relics.
The successful outcome of this difficult case was a result of the joint efforts of various government departments and institutions, and the National Committee for Combatting the Looting and Illicit Trafficking of Antiquities, as well as the Church of Cyprus, whose role is extremely crucial with regards to requests concerning ecclesiastical objects. Ms. Tasoula Hadjitofi, former Honorary Consul of Cyprus in the Hague, played an important role in the case.
The Department of Antiquities wishes to thank Ms. Katerina Hadjistyli archaeologist/Byzantinologist for assisting with the identification of the ecclesiastical objects, in collaboration with the Church of Cyprus.
A ceramic chariot (terracotta quadriga) of the Archaic Period (750-475 BC) which belonged to a private collection in the region of North Rhine-Westphalia was also repatriated on the 20th June 2024. The antiquity was identified online by the Department of Antiquities, to be sold at an auction in January 2023 and the relevant requests were made. The Department of Antiquities wishes to thank the Cyprus Police, Interpol Cyprus and Eurojust for their significant contribution towards the repatriation of this Cypriot antiquity.
The Department of Antiquities, as the competent authority for the protection and management of the archaeological heritage of Cyprus, will continue its intensive efforts to protect the cultural heritage of Cyprus and that of other countries, in close cooperation with the National Committee for Combatting the Looting and Illicit Trafficking of Antiquities. These efforts include, among others, the intensification of efforts to locate, identify, claim and repatriate illegally exported antiquities, the control of imports of cultural objects, the development of new technologies in this field, intensifying training programs on issues related to the fight against the illicit trafficking of antiquities and the raising of public awareness, since members of the public play a crucial role in the protection of our common cultural heritage.
 
CYPRIOT ANCIENT CERAMIC VESSEL HANDED OVER IN BERLIN BY THE ALEXANDER MALIOS RESEARCH INSTITUTE FOR CYPRIOT HERITAGE AND ARCHAEOLOGY, LEIPSIG
The Department of Antiquities of the Deputy Ministry of Culture announces that on the 17th June 2024 a Cypriot ancient artefact was handed over to the Cypriot authorities in Berlin by the Alexander Malios Research Institute for Cypriot Heritage and Archaeology. Mr. Malios handed over the artefact to Dr. Vasiliki Kassianidou, Deputy Minister of Culture and Ms. Eftychia Zachariou, Curator of Antiquities, Cyprus.
Mr. Malios decided to hand over the antiquity for repatriation after he had contacted the Cyprus authorities and was informed that the object had been exported illegally from the island. It is a skyphos, a ceramic open vessel (a wide-mouthed type of drinking cup), dating to the 8th c. BC. It is adorned with painted decoration consisting of birds and geometric motifs. The ancient vessel had been recorded and inventoried in the town of Ammochostos (Famagusta) prior to 1974 and published in 1970. As a result of the Turkish invasion and occupation of more than 36% of the territories of Cyprus (including Ammochostos), the artefact had been exported illegally and had been missing since, like many other cultural objects that were in the areas that are currently not under the effective control of the competent authorities of the Republic of Cyprus.
The Department of Antiquities wishes to warmly thank Mr. Alexander Malios for his considerate and ethically correct decision to return the artefact to its country of origin. Sincere appreciation is also expressed towards the Embassy of the Republic of Cyprus in Berlin and especially Ambassador Maria Papakyriacou and to Mr. Demetris Demetriou, Deputy Chief of Mission, whose contribution towards this positive outcome of the case was crucial.
The Department of Antiquities, as the competent authority of the Republic of Cyprus for the protection and management of the island’s archaeological heritage, will continue its intensive efforts to further protect the cultural heritage both at a local and an international level. These actions are always conducted in close collaboration with the National Committee for Combatting the Looting and Illicit Trafficking of Antiquities. Such efforts include, amongst others, intensifying targeted investigations that aim to identify and repatriate illicitly trafficked cultural objects, further developing and employing new technologies in this field, training the personnel of the competent authorities that are involved in the fight against the looting and illicit trafficking of cultural heritage and last but not least, sensitizing the general public on such issues, considering that the role of the public is extremely crucial in this field.
REPATRIATION OF THREE CYPRIOT ANTIQUITIES FROM ITALY
The Department of Antiquities of the Deputy Ministry of Culture announces the repatriation of three Cypriot antiquities from Italy. The antiquities returned to Cyprus on the 18th of July 2023. The objects had been seized by the Italian authorities as part of penal proceedings. Specifically, the competent court in Florence decided the return to Cyprus of three archaeological objects for which the Cypriot authorities had requested the initiation of return proceedings. The antiquities consist of three pottery vessels, dating to the Bronze Age (around 1600‒1400 BC).
The official ceremony for handing over the antiquities took place on the 17th July 2023 at the offices of the Italian police (Carabinieri) in Rome. Carabinieri General Vincenzo Molinese, handed over the three antiquities to the Ambassador of the Republic of Cyprus in Rome, Mr. Yiorgos Christofides. On the same day, a short ceremony followed at the Embassy of the Republic of Cyprus in Rome. On the 18th July 2023 the Director of the Department of Antiquities Dr. Marina Solomidou-Ieronymidou and Chief Police Inspector Michalis Gavrielides, Head of the Office for the Combating of Illicit Possession and Trafficking of Antiquities of the Police Headquarters (Cyprus Police) oversaw the transfer of the antiquities to Cyprus. The objects are now kept at the Cyprus Museum in Lefkosia, where they will be inventoried, conserved and digitised, as part of the Department of Antiquities’ digitization program.
The Department of Antiquities and the National Committee for Combatting the Looting and Illicit Trafficking of Antiquities wish to express their sincerest appreciation towards the Italian police authorities (Carabinieri) and especially General V. Molinese, Captain Angelo Ragusa, and the Carabinieri Florence unit, as well as the Ambassador of Italy in Lefkosia, Ms. Federica Ferrari Bravo, whose contribution towards the successful conclusion of the case was extremely valuable. The return of the three antiquities is a result of Cyprus and Italy’s ongoing efforts towards combatting the illicit trafficking of cultural objects and at the same time, the repatriation confirms the two countries’ strong collaboration and friendship.
The Department of Antiquities, as the competent Department of the Republic of Cyprus for the protection and management of the island’s archaeological heritage, will continue its intensive efforts to further protect the cultural heritage both at a local and an international level. These actions are always conducted in close collaboration with the National Committee for Combatting the Looting and Illicit Trafficking of Antiquities. Such efforts include, amongst others, intensifying targeted investigations that aim to identify and repatriate illicitly trafficked cultural objects, further developing and employing new technologies in this field, training the personnel of the competent authorities that are involved in the fight against looting and illicit trafficking of cultural heritage and last but not least, sensitizing the general public on such issues, considering that the role of the public is extremely crucial in this field.
REPATRIATION OF 36 CYPRIOT ANTIQUITIES FROM AUSTRALIA
The Department of Antiquities, of the Ministry of Transport, Communications and Works announces that on the 20th of May 2023, thirty-six (36) Cypriot antiquities were repatriated to Cyprus from Australia. The repatriation was made possible following the considerate initiatives of private individuals in Australia, who voluntarily decided to return these precious objects to their place of origin. The antiquities date to various chronological periods, ranging from the Bronze Age to the Roman period and include stone tools, pottery and glass vessels, clay lamps, metal objects and stone sculpture. The repatriation of the thirty-six Cypriot antiquities was made possible through the joint efforts of the Australian authorities, the Australian National University, the University of Sydney, in close collaboration with the Cypriot competent authorities.
Specifically, the Director of the Department of Antiquities, Dr. Marina Solomidou-Ieronymidou, accompanied by Chief Police Inspector Michalis Gavrielides and Conservator Dr. Eleftherios Charalambous, received the abovementioned antiquities in Canberra and Sydney, where they supervised their packing and escorted them to the Cyprus Museum in Nicosia on the 20th May 2023. The antiquities will be conserved and digitized as part of the Department of Antiquities’ digitization program. During her visit to Australia, the Director of the Department of Antiquities Dr. Solomidou-Ieronymidou was invited to deliver lectures related to the role and projects of the Department of Antiquities, as well as on the efforts made against looting and illicit trafficking of cultural heritage. The lectures were given at the Australian National University of Canberra and the Near Eastern Archaeology Foundation in Sydney. A seminar on repatriation and illicit trafficking of cultural heritage was also organized at the Chau Chak Wing Museum of the University of Sydney where both Dr. Solomidou-Ieronymidou and Chief Inspector M. Gavrielides participated with presentations and answered to related questions from students and the general public.
The Department of Antiquities and the National Committee for Combatting the Looting and Illicit Trafficking of Antiquities wish to warmly thank the Australian High Commission in Cyprus and especially Her Excellency Australian High Commissioner Ms. Fiona McKergow and Deputy Head of Mission and Consul Michelle Anderson, the High Commission of the Republic of Cyprus in Australia and especially His Excellency Mr. Antonis Sammoutis and Deputy Head of Mission and Consul Stavros Nikolaou. The Cypriot authorities also extend their sincerest appreciation towards Dr. Georgia Pike-Rowney of College of Arts & Social Sciences at the Australian National University, to Dr. Melanie Pitkin, Senior Curator of the Nicholson Collection of the University of Sydney and to Dr. Craig Barker of the University of Sydney and Director of the Paphos Theatre Archaeological Project in Cyprus. Warm thanks are also expressed towards the presidents and the representatives of the Cypriot communities in Melbourne, Canberra and Sydney for their assistance and excellent hospitality.
The Department of Antiquities, as the competent Department of the Republic of Cyprus for the protection and management of the cultural heritage of Cyprus, will continue its intensive efforts to protect cultural heritage and promote the repatriation of cultural objects to their place of origin. Cooperation and joint efforts of all the competent bodies both at a local and an international level is of the utmost importance in strengthening protection of cultural heritage, which constitutes a priceless and irreplaceable inheritance, not only for a nation but also for humanity as a whole.
REPATRIATION OF OVER 80 ANTIQUITIES TO CYPRUS
The Department of Antiquities, Ministry of Transport, Communications and Works, announces that on the 26th April 2023, the repatriation of over 80 Cypriot antiquities from the United States of America was successfully completed. The antiquities date to various periods of Cypriot history, from around 2000 BC up to the 18th c. AD. These include, amongst others, ancient clay and glass vessels, limestone sculpture, coins and an ecclesiastical wall painting fragment. All antiquities had been handed over to the Embassy of the Republic of Cyprus in Washington by the USA authorities or by private individuals.
Specifically, on the 20th April 2023 an official repatriation ceremony took place at the Embassy of the Republic of Cyprus in Washington, signaling the return of the antiquities to their place of origin, which is Cyprus. The ceremony took place in the presence of the Ambassador of the Republic of Cyprus in the United States of America Mr. Marios Lysiotis, the Director of the Cyprus Department of Antiquities Dr. Marina Solomidou Ieronymidou, Curator of Antiquities Ms. Eftychia Zachariou, the Head of the Office for the Combating of Illicit Possession and Trafficking of Antiquities of the Police Headquarters (Cyprus Police) Chief Police Inspector Michalis Gavrielides, the Deputy Assistant Director, International Operations, Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) Ricardo Mayoral and representatives of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), the Custom and Border Protection (CBP) and the State Department. Also present were representatives of the Centre for Hellenic Studies of Harvard University and Dumbarton Oaks. The packing and transportation of the Cypriot antiquities was overseen by Dr. Elefthrios Charalambous, Conservator at the Department of Antiquities. On the 26th April 2023 the antiquities arrived at the Cyprus Museum in Lefkosia (Nicosia) where they were unpacked under the supervision of Department of Antiquities’ Conservator Ms. Eleni Loizides. The antiquities will be conserved and digitized as part of the Department of Antiquities’ digitization program.
The Department of Antiquities and the National Committee for Combatting the Looting and Illicit Trafficking of Antiquities wish to warmly thank the competent authorities of the United States of America and especially the HSI, FBI, CBP and the State Department for their excellent collaboration and their tireless efforts towards the protection of cultural heritage and the combatting of illicit trafficking of cultural objects. Towards this direction, the Cultural Property Agreement that is in force between the United States of America and the Republic of Cyprus concerning the Imposition of Import Restrictions on Pre-Classical and Classical Archaeological Objects and Byzantine and Post-Byzantine Period Ecclesiastical and Ritual Ethnological Materials remains of extremely vital importance.
The Department of Antiquities and the National Committee for Combatting the Looting and Illicit Trafficking of Antiquities also wish to express their sincere appreciation and to thank the private individuals in the United States of America who voluntarily handed over the Cypriot antiquities that were in their possession, in order for them to be returned to their place of origin.
REPATRIATION CEREMONY AT THE EMBASSY OF THE REPUBLIC OF CYPRUS IN WASHINGTON
The Department of Antiquities, of the Ministry of Transport, Communications and Works and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs announce that on the 25th of January 2022, two ancient Cypriot coins and a wall painting fragment were handed over to the Embassy of the Republic of Cyprus in Washingston by the USA authorities, headed by Mr. Ricardo Mayoral, Deputy Assistant Director for International Operations, Homeland Security Investigations.
Two rare Cypriot ancient coins were handed over, that were illegally imported into the United States from Cyprus. Specifically, in December 2016, Homeland Security Investigations Philadelphia, initiated a Cultural Property investigation after receiving information from the competent authorities of the Government of the Republic of Cyprus concerning the sale of Cypriot coins by a U.S. based auction house. The coins include one rare gold coin minted by the king of Kition Pumayyaton (362-312 BC), dated in his 14th regnal year (349/8 BC). It depicts on the obverse Herakles-Milqart advancing right with bow and club and on the obverse, and on the reverse a lion attacking a stag, with legend in Phoenician attesting the king’s name in and his regnal year on the field right. The second coin is a rare silver coin of the king of Amathus, Eutimos, dated circa 385-380 BC. It depicts on the obverse a recumbent lion with a flying eagle above and on the reverse the forepart of a lion with open jaws and legend with the king’s name in Cypriot-syllabic script.
The third antiquity that was handed over is a 17th‒18th century AD wall painting fragment (fresco) belonging to an ecclesiastical monument of Cyprus. Specifically, in May 2021, Homeland Security Investigations Austin initiated a Cultural Property investigation after receiving information that a looted wall painting (fresco) fragment was in the possession of a Texas resident. Further investigation revealed that the wall painting fragment had been illegally exported from Cyprus. The antiquity was subsequently seized and administratively forfeited to be returned to the Cypriot authorities. The exact monument from which the fragment originates cannot be identified at present, due to the continuing Turkish occupation since 1974, of approximately one third of the island of Cyprus, to which the competent authorities of the government of the Republic of Cyprus have no access. As a result of the 1974 Turkish invasion of Cyprus and the subsequent occupation of over one third of the island, Cyprus’ cultural heritage has been severely affected. Damage has been recorded with regards to all categories of cultural property in the occupied areas of Cyprus. Churches have been severely vandalized and even demolished. Icons and other ecclesiastical objects have been stolen, church frescoes, mosaics have been removed and archaeological objects have been looted and illegally exported. In many cases such cultural objects have been traced to antiquities trade markets and in auctions around the world. As evident by the preserved outline of the particular wall painting fragment, it seems to have been detached, in the same way that other similar wall-painting fragments have been violently detached from churches in the occupied areas of the island. In recent times, other similar fragments, which have been illegally removed from looted monuments and illegally exported, have been identified abroad and returned to Cyprus.
The Cypriot authorities wish to warmly thank the competent authorities of the United States of America and especially U.S. Immigrations and Customs Enforcement, for their excellent collaboration and their tireless efforts towards the protection of cultural heritage and the combatting of illicit trafficking of cultural objects. Towards this direction, the Cultural Property Agreement that is in force between the United States of America and the Republic of Cyprus concerning the Imposition of Import Restrictions on Pre-Classical and Classical Archaeological Objects and Byzantine and Post-Byzantine Period Ecclesiastical and Ritual Ethnological Materials remains of extremely vital importance.
  
REPATRIATION OF THE LATE 15TH/EARLY 16TH CENTURY DESPOTIC ICON OF THE ENTHRONED CHRIST FROM THE OCCUPIED CHURCH OF ANTIFONITIS IN KALOGREA, KYRENIA DISTRICT
The Department of Antiquities, of the Ministry of Transport, Communications and Works announces that another very important repatriation case has been successfully concluded. The case concerns the despotic icon of the Enthroned Christ, which dates to the end of the 15th or the beginning of the 16th century and originates from the occupied Church of Antifonitis in Kalograia, Kyrenia District. The repatriation of the icon from Zurich, Switzerland was achieved after many years of efforts, which intensified in recent years, giving a successful conclusion to one of the most famous and complex cases of repatriation. The case of the looting of the Antifonitis church by the Turkish occupation army and its collaborators and the sale of the frescoes, portable icons and fragmented wood carvings, the fate of many of which are still unknown, proves once again the destructive consequences of the Turkish invasion on the cultural heritage of the island.
The Church of Cyprus, which identified the icon at an auction abroad, following information from the Director of the Kykkos Museum, Dr. Sylianos Perdikis, informed the Cyprus Police, which proceeded in cooperation with the Attorney General with all the necessary procedures resulting in the confiscation of the icon by the police authorities of Switzerland in 2014. Legal procedures followed, which intensified over the last three years, ending in a positive outcome. The Department of Antiquities immediately began the procedures for the repatriation of the icon. The repatriation was made possible as a result of the coordinated efforts of the Department of Antiquities, the Cyprus Police and the Law Office of the Republic in close cooperation with the Church of Cyprus and the competent Swiss police authorities. The delivery was made on 7 July 2022 by the Public Prosecutor of the canton of Zurich Mr. Bernhard Hecht to the Director of the Department of Antiquities Dr. Marina Solomidou-Ieronymidou and the Head of the Office for the Combating of Illicit Possession and Trafficking of Antiquities of the Police Headquarters (Cyprus Police) Chief Police Inspector Michalis Gavrielides. Also present at the handover was the Conservator of the Department of Antiquities, Dr. Eleftherios Charalambous. On July 8, the icon was safely transported to Cyprus accompanied by the abovementioned and is stored in the Cyprus Museum. The icon is in very good condition but will be examined by the conservators of the Department of Antiquities before being delivered to His Beatitude the Archbishop within the week, until it is made possible to be placed back to where it rightfully belongs, the Church of Antifonitis.
Delivery of the despotic icon of the Enthroned Christ, Zurich
The Church of Antifonitis, which is a listed Ancient Monument based on the Antiquities Law, was probably founded in the 12th century and belongs to the local type of the octagonal church with a dome. It is the only example of this type preserved in Cyprus in very good condition. The monument preserves various phases which date back to the 15th and 16th centuries with important frescoes and portable icons. Unfortunately, after the Turkish invasion, Turkish looters desecrated the monument, removed a large part of the frescoes, the icons and the wood-carved decoration, exported them illegally and then illegally sold them on the international market. Many of these frescoes were found in the possession of the well-known Turkish looter Aydin Dikmen and a number of these have been gradually repatriated. Some of the important icons of the iconostasis have been repatriated, with the most important repatriation occurring in 1998, that of the despotic icon of The Enthroned Virgin and Child.
The Department of Antiquities wishes to express its gratitude to the Church of Cyprus, and especially the Archbishop for all his support and contribution during the entire process leading to the repatriation. Thanks are also given to the National Committee for Combating the Looting and Illegal Trafficking of Cultural Heritage, as well as the Customs Department and the Civil Aviation Department for the facilities they provided during the return of the icon to Cyprus.
The Department of Antiquities, as the competent Department of the Republic of Cyprus for the protection and management of the cultural heritage of our country, will continue its intensive efforts to save our cultural heritage which has suffered incalculable damage as a result of the Turkish invasion. Cooperation with all the competent bodies in this difficult struggle of repatriation of our looted cultural heritage is extremely necessary and can only be accomplished through coordinated joint efforts.
Citizens are encouraged to contribute by passing on information related to the theft and illegal trafficking of cultural goods to the Department of Antiquities or the Cyprus Police, anonymously or not, thus assisting in the difficult and time-consuming task of identifying cultural goods and claiming them through complex legal procedures.
Despotic icon of Enthroned Christ,from the occupied Church of Antifonitis in Kalograia, Kyrenia District
The occupied Church of Antifonitis in Kalograia, Kyrenia District
ONE OF THE MOST COMPLEX REPATRIATION CASES
IS CONCLUDED
The Department of Antiquities, Ministry of Transport, Communications and Works announces that the Royal iconostasis doors of the church of Agios Anastasios in the occupied Peristeronopigi village, Famagusta District, have been repatriated from Japan. The Royal iconostasis doors have returned to Cyprus after yearlong efforts that have been intensified during the last two years, thus concluding one of the most renowned and at the same time complex cases of repatriation. The looting of the church of Agios Anastasios by the Turkish occupation army and its collaborators and the sale of the Royal iconostasis doors, as well as of the icons and sacred vessels of the church, the fate of which remains unknown, reveals once again the catastrophic consequences of the Turkish invasion on the cultural heritage of Cyprus.
The Royal iconostasis doors were located in Japan in the 1990s at the Kanazawa College of Art. Their repatriation was made possible following the coordinated efforts of the Department of Antiquities of Cyprus, the Embassy of the Republic of Cyprus in Tokyo and the Church of Cyprus, together with the competent authorities of the Kanazawa College of Art that possessed the Royal iconostasis doors.
The Royal iconostasis doors from Agios Anastasios church belong to the Cypriot iconographic tradition of the 18th century, which is differentiated from the rest of the Orthodox world, of which they are an important example. During this period, the upper part of iconostasis doors were usually decorated with representations of the Annunciation, while the lower parts were often decorated with representations of the Three Hierarchs and occasionally, with a Cypriot saint, Agios Spyridonas in this case. Apart from their archaeological importance, Royal iconostasis doors bear important symbolical and religious meanings, since they are an integral part of Orthodox churches. The repatriated Royal iconostasis doors from Peristeropigi date to 1778, according to an inscription preserved between the upper part representing the Annunciation and the lower part representing the Three Hierarchs and Agios Spyridon. According to the inscription, the Royal iconostasis doors were painted by the Monk Filaretos from Psimolofou, who became Protosyncellus in the Monastery of Agios Iraklidios in Politiko, an important iconographic center of that period. The doors were made at the expense of Hatzigiasoumis, probably a resident of Peristeronopigi village, during the time when Chrysanthos was Archbishop and Leontios was Abbot (Egoumenos) («Επ’ ἀρχιθύτου Κυρίου Κυρ Χρυσάνθου, ἑπιστάτου Λεόντιου ἱερομονάχου, δαπάνῃ δε Γιασουμῆ προσκυνητοῦ. Χείρ Φιλαρέτου και ἱερομονάχου αψοή»).
The Department of Antiquities wishes to express its gratitude to the Church of Cyprus and especially to the Archbishop, with whom direct communication on the case occurred throughout the whole process and whose support and contribution towards the repatriation efforts was invaluable, to the competent Directorates of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Cyprus for their close cooperation, the National Committee for Combating the Looting and Illegal Trafficking of Cultural Heritage, as well as all other governmental authorities of the Republic of Cyprus involved, such as the Department of Customs and Excise, the Department of Civil Aviation and the Cyprus Police, especially the Office for the Combating of Illicit Possession and Trafficking of Antiquities of the Police Headquarters, for facilitating the return of the Royal iconostasis doors to Cyprus.
The Department of Antiquities as the competent authority of the Republic of Cyprus for the protection and management of our cultural heritage, will continue all efforts for its preservation and protection. Although it is acknowledged that the fight against illicit trafficking is an extremely difficult and complex issue, the Department of Antiquities is confident that through coordinated efforts, the desired results can be reached.
The Royal iconostasis doors will be conserved by the Department of Antiquities and will be handed over to the Holy Archbishopric of Cyprus, until their return to the church of Agios Anastasios, where they belong, is made possible.
The Minister of Transport, Communications and Works wishes to thank especially the Director of the Department of Antiquities, as well as all those you contributed towards the success of this extremely important repatriation.
Royal iconostasis doors of the church of Agios Anastasios in the occupied Peristeronopigi village, Famagusta District.
Handing over of Cypriot antiquity at the High Commission
of the Republic of Cyprus in the United Kingdom
The Department of Antiquities, Ministry of Transport, Communications and Works, announces that on the 21st August 2020 a Cypriot antiquity was handed over to the High Commissioner of the Republic of Cyprus in London Mr. Andreas Kakouris by DC Ray Swan of the London Metropolitan Police. The antiquity, which was looted and illegally exported from Cyprus following the Turkish invasion of 1974, was handed over to the London Metropolitan Police by Mr. Costas Paraskevaides, the owner of ArtAncient, a London-based antiquities shop. The said antiquity is a Bichrome ware miniature clay jar (approx. 6 cm high) dating to the Cypro-Archaic I period (750 – 600 BC).
The Department of Antiquities, the Office for Combating Illegal Possession and Trafficking of Antiquities of the Cyprus Police and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs wish to thank Mr. Paraskevaides for handing over the antiquity and the London Metropolitan Police for its valuable contribution and collaboration with the authorities of the Republic of Cyprus. The physical repatriation of the antiquity will take place in the near future.
Every repatriation of a stole and illegally exported cultural object is of utmost importance on many levels, since each and every such object represents a part of a country’s history and identity. For the Cyprus authorities, the identification and repatriation of stolen cultural objects is an extremely high priority, bearing in mind that the island has sadly suffered large-scale looting and illicit trafficking of cultural objects, especially as a result of the 1974 Turkish invasion and subsequent occupation.
The Department of Antiquities, in close collaboration with all other competent authorities and the National Committee for Combating the Looting and Illicit Trafficking of Cultural Heritage continue their efforts to identify looted and stolen cultural objects which have been dispersed around the globe.
REPATRIATION OF AN INSCRIBED PEDIMENT OF A FUNERARY STELE
The Department of Antiquities, Ministry of Transport, Communications and Works, announces that today, 12th September 2019 an important antiquity originating from Cyprus, was handed over at the offices of the Permanent Representation of the Republic of Cyprus to the European Union in Brussels. The Cypriot antiquity was in the possession of Ms. Christiane Koojj, a resident of Brussels, Belgium. Ms. Koojj had recently informed in writing the Ambassador of the Republic of Cyprus in Paris that the cultural object was inherited to her and her siblings from their late mother and that their request was to deliver it back to its country of origin. The Ambassador of the Republic of Cyprus in Belgium referred Ms. Koojj to the Director of the Department of Antiquities as the competent authority on such matters.
The said antiquity is the upper part of a limestone funerary stele consisting of a horizontal cornice, decorated with geisipodes in relief, over which a pediment with a frame in relief is formed. The pediment corners are crowned by acroteria, two of which (at the lateral ends) are decorated with roughly carved anthemia, while the central one, without bearing any sign of breakage, is scarcely marked. In the middle of the two oblique sides of the pediment, there are carved pomegranates. In the middle of the pediment, within the frame in relief, appears to be an apotropaic Medusa head (Gorgoneion). The horizontal cornice bears a Cypro-syllabic inscription, while other cypro-syllabic symbols cover the pediment, which may be later additions. Based on palaeographic criteria, the inscription dates to the end of the 4th - beginning of the 3rd century BC.
The carved pediment is very similar to another Cypriot funerary pedimental stele from the village of Tremetoushia (Larnaka District), now in the British Museum. The Tremetoushia pediment had been previously dated to the 1st century AD, however, the discovery of this second similar stele, which is evidently from the same workshop, allows for a more accurate dating, four centuries earlier than the initial dating.
The antiquity was handed over to the Director of the Department of Antiquities Dr. Marina Solomidou-Ieronymidou by Ms. Christiane Koojj in the presence of the competent Ambassador of the Republic of Cyprus Mr. Elpidoforos Economou. Present during the ceremony were Police Inspector Mr. Michalis Gavrielides, Head of the Office for Combating Illegal Possession and Trafficking of Antiquities (Cyprus Police), Dr. Eleftherios Charalambous, Conservator at the Department of Antiquities and Mr. Lucas Verhaegen of the Belgium Police.
The Department of Antiquities as the competent authority in Cyprus for the protection and management of cultural heritage, will continue its intensive efforts to encourage the support of citizens in the protection and preservation of cultural heritage, not only at a local but also at an international level. The cooperation of all competent authorities in the fight against the looting and illicit trafficking of cultural heritage and the repatriation of cultural objects to their country of origin is extremely valuable and of utmost importance. Although it is acknowledged that the fight against illicit trafficking is an extremely difficult and complex issue, the Department of Antiquities is confident that through coordinated efforts, the desired results related to the protection of the Cultural Heritage of all nations will be reached. One of the main priorities of the Department of Antiquities is the combatting of looting and illicit trafficking of cultural heritage.
The repatriation of the antiquity to Cyprus will take place on 15 September 2019 and is the result of the coordinated efforts of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the Department of Antiquities, the Cyprus Police and the Department of Customs and Excise.
REPATRIATION OF A RELIQUARY CASE STOLEN FROM THE AGIOS MAMAS CHURCH AT MORFOU IN THE TURKISH OCCUPIED PART OF CYPRUS,
FROM DUSSELDORF, GERMANY
The Department of Antiquities, Ministry of Transport, Communications and Works announces that on the 14th of May 2019, a reliquary case stolen from the Agios Mamas Church located in occupied Morfou was returned to its rightful owner, in Dusseldorf, Germany. The wooden reliquary case has the body of a book and contains the remains of Agios Panteleimon, Agios Charalambos, Agios Neophytos, Agios Tryfonos, Agios Philipos, Agios Michael Synadon, Agios Polydorou, Agios Ioannis Lampadistis and Agios Mamantos. The imagery depicted beneath the lid is that of Agios Mamas beset by Agios Panteleimon, Agios Tryfonos and two bishops. A layer of silver/metal, engraved with the year 1835, appears to be covering the remains. The reliquary case was handed over by Ms Susanne Hargesheimer, managing director of the Hargesheimer Kunstauktionen Dόsseldorf auction house in the presence of the protosyncellus of the Holy Bishopric of Morfou, Archimandrite Mr. Fotios Ioakeim, the representatives of the Department of Antiquities, Mr. Giorgos Filotheou, Curator of Antiquities and Ms. Stella Pissaridou, Senior Conservator, Mrs Marianna Charalambous Consul of the Embassy of the Republic of Cyprus in Germany and Ms. Maria Paphiti, Art Historian. The reliquary case was repatriated by the Department of Antiquities on the 15th of May 2019 and was handed over to the Holy Bishopric of Morfou. The reliquary was on sale online on the Hargesheimer Kunstauktionen Dόsseldorf auction house website. The Holy Bishopric of Morfou was immediately notified.
The auctioning of the item was prevented through the coordinated efforts of the competent government authorities (Department of Antiquities, Cyprus Police, Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Department of Customs and Excise) and the Holy Bishopric of Morfou including Mrs Maria Pafiti. The managing directors of the auction house Mr. and Ms. Hargesheimer, once they realised the item was illegally exported, they proceeded to purchase the object from its possessors and to return it to the Holy Metropolis of Morfou.
The Department of Antiquities wishes to extend its gratitude to the managing directors of the auction house and to all those who contributed to the timely withdrawal of the reliquary case from the online sale catalogue of the auction house and for its repatriation. The Department of Antiquities wishes to encourage citizens to give their support for the recovery and protection of the cultural objects belonging to Cyprus but as well as those of other countries or nations. It is important to emphasize that the Department of Antiquities as the competent Department for the protection and management of our cultural heritage, participates in all the efforts that are currently underway by organizations such as UNESCO, the European Commission and the Council of Europe for the advocacy of stricter procedures that will deter illegal trafficking and facilitate the repatriation of cultural objects that were unlawfully removed. In addition, the National Committee for the Combating of Looting and the Illicit Trafficking of Cultural Heritage, which consists of members from all competent government authorities and the Church of Cyprus, are making efforts, through coordinated actions, for the repatriation of all of our looted cultural treasures.
 
REPATRIATION OF FOUR WALL PAINTINGS FROM THE CHURCH OF PANAGIA APSINTHIOTISSA AT SYCHARI AND OTHER CHURCHES IN OCCUPIED CYPRUS, WHICH WERE IN THE POSESSION OF THE NGO WALK OF TRUTH
The Department of Antiquities, Ministry of Transport, Communications and Works, announces that today, 21st January 2019, four wall-painting fragments were handed over to the Cyprus authorities at the Embassy of the Republic of Cyprus at The Hague. The wall fragments originate from churches in occupied Cyprus. Two fragments come from the Church of the Monastery of the Virgin Mary (Panagia) Apsinthiotissa at Sychari village, one fragment, which has only recently been identified, is from the Church of the Virgin Mary (Panagia) in Assia village and a fourth fragment remains unidentified.
The above-mentioned wall-paintings were violently detached from the above monuments following the Turkish invasion of 1974 and have been in the possession of the NGO Walk of Truth, based in The Hague. Ms. Tasoula Hadjitofi, on behalf of Walk of Truth, handed over the wall-paintings to Ms. Vasiliki Anastassiadou, Minister of Transport, Communications and Works in the presence of Dr. Marina Solomidou-Ieronymidou, Director of the Cyprus Department of Antiquities, which is the competent authority of the Republic of Cyprus on these matters, and Ambassador Mr. Elpidoforos Economou. In her speech the Minister stressed that “It is by now a widely accepted notion that cultural heritage is a priceless and an irreplaceable inheritance, not only of each nation, but also of humanity as a whole. The loss, through theft, clandestine excavations and/or illicit trade, of any element forming this common heritage constitutes an impoverishment of the identity and history of all people and infringes upon the fundamental human rights to culture and development.”
Other officials present at the ceremony were Police Inspector Mr. Michalis Gavrielides, Senior Conservator of the Department of Antiquities Ms. Stella Pissaridou and Conservator of the Department of Antiquities Dr. Eleftherios Charalambous. Also, present were the Bishop Porphyrios of Neapolis, Mr. Martin Finkelnberg from the Dutch Police and members of Walk of Truth. The repatriation was made possible through the coordinated efforts of all the competent authorities of the Government of the Republic of Cyprus as mentioned above, as well as the Legal Services and the Department of Customs and Excise and the Church of Cyprus.
The cultural objects will be repatriated to Cyprus on Thursday 24th January 2019 with a direct flight from The Hague. The return of these precious wall-paintings to their country of origin, following the odyssey they have been through, is an extremely important development. When they arrive in Cyprus the wall-paintings will be properly conserved, and like all repatriated cultural objects, they will be placed back in the monuments to which they belong, as soon as this is made possible.
The Department of Antiquities encourages the public to be active in the fight against illicit trafficking and in the efforts made to save, preserve and protect cultural heritage. It should be stressed that the Department of Antiquities, as the competent authority, participates in all the initiatives of the EU and UNESCO concerning the fight against illicit trafficking and the efforts made to enable the repatriation of cultural objects that have been illegally exported from their country of origin. The Department of Antiquities, in collaboration with other competent authorities, continues to systematically pursue the repatriation of Cyprus’ looted cultural heritage.
REPATRIATION OF THE MOSAIC REPRESENTING APOSTLE MARKOS FROM THE OCCUPIED CHURCH OF PANAGIA KANAKARIA IN LYTHRAGKOMI
The Department of Antiquities, Ministry of Transport, Communications and Works, announces that the mosaic of Apostle Markos, which adorned the apse of the occupied church of Panagia Kanakaria in Lythragkomi, Famagusta District, has been repatriated to Cyprus from the Netherlands. The mosaic was located in the Principality of Monaco by the Dutch private detective Arthur Brand, known for tracing major works of art, working with the police authorities of many countries. Information about the mosaic was originally provided to the Cypriot authorities in 2016 by AHEPA, a Greek - American organization in the USA.
The walled mosaics of Panagia Kanakaria, dating back to the 6th century AD., are highly important works of art and among the few remaining early Christian mosaics in the world. The mosaic of Apostle Markos was violently detached and stolen from the church, between 1977-79 by Turkish looter and art dealer Aydin Dikmen, along with the rest of the mosaics depicting the Apostles and other saints. The mosaics were broken down into pieces and found their way in the international art markets.
Pieces of the mosaics, such as the figures of Apostles Luke, Bartholomew, Matthew, James, Thaddeus, Thomas and Andrew, as well as the upper part of the Virgin Mary and Christ, the hands of the Virgin Mary and the hand of Archangel Gabriel, have been gradually repatriated since 1983, while a few more pieces of the mosaic decoration are still missing.
The mosaic of Apostle Markos was handed over on the 16th November 2018 by Arthur Brand at the Embassy of the Republic of Cyprus in The Hague, in the presence of the Ambassador Mr. Elpidoforos Economou, Mr. Martin Finkelnberg of the Dutch Police and of the team travelling from Cyprus, composed of the Director of the Department of Antiquities Dr. Marina Solomidou-Ieronymidou, the Legal Counselor of the Holy Archbishopric of Cyprus Mr. Leonidas Georgiou, the Inspector Officer of the Assistant Chief of Police Mr. Michalis Gavrielides and Department of Antiquities' Conservator, specialist in mosaics, Dr. Eleftherios Charalambous. The repatriation was made possible through the coordinated actions of all involved authorities of the State including the Legal Service of the Republic, the Department of Customs and Excise and the Church of Cyprus.
The Department of Antiquities, in cooperation with all responsible authorities and bodies, continues its efforts to repatriate the remaining mosaics from the Church of Panagia Kanakaria, as well as all other cultural treasures that have been illicitly removed from the occupied areas of Cyprus.
Press Release Ministry of Foreign Affairs
At a ceremony which was held yesterday, 29 March 2018 at the Embassy of the Republic of Cyprus in Berlin, two archaeological objects, which were illegally exported from Cyprus after the Turkish invasion of 1974, were handed over to the Ambassador of the Republic of Cyprus in Germany, Mr. Andreas Hadjichrysanthou, by Mr. Gόnter Puhze and Mrs. Micaela Puhze owners of the Galerie Gόnter Puhze.
The first object is a clay figurine of a warrior with shield which dates to the Cypro-Archaic period (7th century BC). The second object is a clay bowl of Red Polished Ware with incised decoration. The bowl dates to the Early Bronze Age (circa 2000 BC).
The Ambassador thanked Mr. and Mrs. Puhze for their gesture, as well as the representatives of the German Government whose contribution to the common efforts of the Embassy and the Department of Antiquities of the Republic of Cyprus for the return of the objects was decisive.
Moreover, the Ambassador stressed the importance for Cyprus of the return of its cultural treasures which were looted and illegally exported after the Turkish invasion of 1974.
Finally, he underlined that the return of the two objects, contributes to the further strengthening of the excellent bilateral relations between of Cyprus and Germany.
The German government was represented at the ceremony by the deputy Federal Commissioner for Culture and the Media Dr. Gόnter Winands. Representatives of the German Foreign Ministry were also present.
 
REPATRIATION OF ANTIQUITY FROM UK
The Department of Antiquities, Ministry of Transport, Communications and Works, announces that an ancient Cypriot clay ring-vase (kernos - ceremonial vessel), dated to the Protogeometric period (1050-900 BC), has been repatriated to Cyprus from the United Kingdom. The vessel was identified by the Department of Antiquities at a London-based antiquities dealer’s shop, as a result of the Departments’ routine online investigations.
Following a request by the Department of Antiquities and the Cyprus Police, the shop handed over the vessel to the London Metropolitan Police, which in turn, handed it over to the High Commission of the Republic of Cyprus in London, in October 2016. A Conservator of the Department of Antiquities supervised the packing of the antiquity in London and escorted it to Cyprus on 16 November 2016. The vessel was part of Mr. Christakis Hadjiprodromou’s registered private collection that was kept in his house in Ammochostos (Famagusta) prior to the Turkish invasion in 1974. As a result of the invasion, Mr. Hadjiprodromou’s residence was pillaged, and his collection was looted, its objects scattered around the world. Another antiquity (a clay horse-and-rider of the Cypro-Archaic period, approx. 700 BC) from the same collection was repatriated from London in July 2016.
REPATRIATION OF ANTIQUITY FROM UK
The Department of Antiquities, Ministry of Transport, Communications and Works, announces that an ancient clay figurine has been repatriated to Cyprus from the United Kingdom. The figurine was identified by the Department of Antiquities on the website of a London-based antiquities dealer’s shop.
Following a request by the Department of Antiquities and the Cyprus Police, the shop handed over the figurine to the London Metropolitan Police, which in turn, returned it to the Department of Antiquities in July 2016. The figurine was part of Mr Christakis Hadjiprodromou’s registered private collection that was kept in his house in Ammochostos (Famagusta) prior to the Turkish invasion in 1974. As a result of the invasion, of the Turkish arms, Mr. Hadjiprodromou’s residence was pillaged, and his collection was looted, its objects scattered around the world.
The clay figurine depicts a horse and rider/warrior and dates to the Cypro-Archaic period (approximately 700 BC).
REPATRIATION CEREMONY IN CYPRUS
The Department of Antiquities, Ministry of Communications and Works announces that on Tuesday 12 November 2013, a ceremony will be organized in the Byzantine Museum of the Archbishop Makarios III Foundation, Nicosia to mark the repatriation of the 173 ecclesiastical cultural treasures which were stolen from the occupied areas of the Republic of Cyprus. It constitutes the largest number of cultural objects ever repatriated in Cyprus and the repatriation was achieved after a long legal battle in the Regional Court of Munich. The 173 byzantine and post-byzantine antiquities that still bear the signs of irreversible damage caused during the process of their detachment from the churches, come from Greek-Cypriot churches and churches of the Maronite community. They are unique examples of ecclesiastical art of Cyprus and will be temporarily exhibited in the Byzantine Museum until the day of their return to the places where they belong.
REPATRIATION CEREMONY IN MUNICH
The Department of Antiquities, Ministry of Communications and Works announces that on Tuesday 16 July 2013 a ceremony was organized to mark the extremely important decision taken by the Regional Court of Munich on the 18th of March, 2013 that follows the decision of the District Court of Munich delivered on September 2010 for the repatriation of cultural treasures, which were stolen from the occupied areas of the Republic of Cyprus.
The ceremony involved the symbolic return of 173 objects of ecclesiastical art, which were stolen from churches in the occupied part of Cyprus after the Turkish invasion of 1974 and exported illegally. It took place in the Bavarian Police Department in Munich and was attended and addressed by the Minister of Justice of Bavaria, Beate Merk, the President of the Bavarian Police Department Dr Peter Dathe, the First Criminal Commissioner Dr Franz Weber, the Bishop of Neapolis Porfyrios on behalf of the Church of Cyprus and, Dr. Despo Pilides, Acting Director, on behalf of the Department of Antiquities. A representative of the Embassy of Cyprus in Berlin, as well as other distinguished guests and the Bavarian press were also present. The icon of St Basil from the church of Panagia Galaktoforousa at Palaikythro was presented to the Cypriot representatives, while another five objects were exhibited for symbolic reasons.
Even though restored so as to be able to travel to Cyprus, the signs of violent detachment and bad handling of the objects by the looters were evident. The exhibited objects comprised the wall mosaic fragment of St Thomas from Panagia Kanakaria at Lythrangomi, two fragments of the wall-painting of the Last Judgment from the church of Antifonitis at Kalograia, the icon of Christ from the church of Agios Theodoros, Karpasia, and the icon of Virgin Mary portraying Christ, Agios Ioannis Eleimon, and the portraits of the founders from the church of Agios Ioannis Chrysostomos at Koutsoventis.
This repatriation, which will take place in the near future, concerns the largest in number of cultural goods restitution case that the Republic of Cyprus has ever experienced. Also important was the significance attached to the event by the Bavarian press and mass media.
 
|