Antiquities repatriated from Germany after 60 years

Antiquities removed from Cyprus in the 1960s have returned home.

The Department of Antiquities announced on Friday that a total of 37 pieces, removed by a German citizen, who was at the time working at the German embassy in Nicosia, were repatriated on July 26.

The repatriated antiquities include ceramic vessels dating from the Early-Middle Bronze Age (around 2000BC) to the Medieval period, as well as clay lamps, dating from the Cypro-Classical to the Late Roman period.

Following the German citizen’s death in 2023, his heir, 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 department “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.”

It adds that it 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.”

Over the years, antiquities from private collections and museums have been returned to Cyprus.

Last year, a total of 36 Cyprus antiquities were repatriated from Australia to the island, following an initiative carried out by Australian government in cooperation with the Australian National University, the University of Sydney, and the Cypriot authorities.

Mass looting of Cypriot antiquities occurred after 1974.

According to the Director of the Office for Combating Illegal Possession and Trafficking of Antiquities Michalis Gavrielidis, over 16,000 Christian icons, mosaics and murals dating from to 6th and 5th centuries have been forcibly stolen and sold abroad since the Turkish invasion in 1974.

Recently, it was announced that Cypriot antiquities looted after the Turkish invasion are to be returned to the island following the signing of an agreement between Cyprus and German authorities.

The Historic Repatriation Agreement signals the final chapter of the Aydin Dikmen case involving the smuggling of antiquities and was signed in Munich.