Ancient artefacts returned from Italy

Three pottery vessels from the Bronze Age (about 1600‒1400 BC) have been returned to Cyprus from Italy after a request from the antiquities department.

The objects had been seized by the Italian authorities as part of penal proceedings, according to a press released, with a court in Florence ordering the return of the three vessels.

The official ceremony for handing over the antiquities took place on July 17 at the offices of the Italian police (Carabinieri) in Rome.

Carabinieri General Vincenzo Molinese handed over the three antiquities to Cyprus’ ambassador Yiorgos Christofides.

On the same day, a short ceremony followed at the embassy in Rome.

On July 18, director of the antiquities department Marina Solomidou-Ieronymidou, and other officials, oversaw the handover.

The objects are now kept at the Cyprus Museum in Nicosia, where they will be inventoried, conserved and digitised.

The officials expressed their sincerest appreciation towards the Italian authorities.

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.