Three Cypriot antiquities repatriated from Italy

The repatriation from Italy of three Cypriot antiquities, which were seized by the Italian authorities, was announced Wednesday by the Department of Antiquities.

It said a Florence court decided the return to Cyprus of three archaeological objects for which the Cypriot authorities had requested the initiation of return proceedings.

These antiquities are three pottery vessels dating to the Bronze Age (around 1600‒1400 BC).

An official ceremony for handing over the antiquities took place on July 17 at the offices of the Italian police (Carabinieri) in Rome, where Carabinieri General Vincenzo Molinese handed over the three antiquities to Cyprus ambassador Yiorgos Christofides.

The objects are now kept at the Cyprus Museum in Nicosia, where they will be inventoried, conserved and digitised as part of the Department of Antiquities’ digitisation program.

The Department of Antiquities said: “As the competent Department of the Republic of Cyprus for the protection and management of the island’s archaeological heritage, it will continue its intensive efforts to further protect the cultural heritage locally and internationally.”