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Forty-eight Cypriot antiquities that had been held in a private collection in Greece have been formally returned to Cyprus, in what officials are calling a meaningful act of cultural cooperation between the two countries.
The objects, mainly vases and limestone figurines, were handed over to the Cyprus Museum on Monday during an official ceremony. They were received by Deputy Minister of Culture Vasiliki Kassianidou from Greece’s Minister of Culture Lina Mendoni.
According to Cyprus’ Deputy Ministry of Culture, the antiquities were originally acquired in Cyprus during the 1960s and 1970s, a period when the illegal trade of archaeological objects was far less regulated than today. After the collector passed away, his heirs decided to hand the collection over to Greek authorities so that its origins could be properly examined and, ultimately, the objects could be returned to Cyprus.
The returned artifacts cover a long stretch of Cypriot history, from the Early Bronze Age all the way through to the Medieval period, offering a small but wide snapshot of the island’s ancient past.
Speaking at the ceremony, Kassianidou thanked the Greek authorities and the family of the collector for voluntarily returning the items, saying the move goes beyond formal diplomacy.
She described the return as a practical example of how countries can protect cultural heritage together, adding that Cyprus and Greece share a common responsibility because both have experienced the loss of cultural treasures over time and continue to push for their return.
“This is not just about agreements or cooperation on paper,” she noted in essence, stressing that cultural heritage is closely tied to identity, memory, and history.
Greek Culture Minister Mendoni said Greece was “very happy” to return the antiquities to Cyprus, pointing to shared experiences between the two countries when it comes to looting and illicit trafficking of cultural objects.
She said the return was carried out in line with international conventions, including UNESCO rules, and a bilateral agreement signed between the two countries around a year and a half ago aimed at strengthening cooperation on cultural heritage protection.
Officials from both sides highlighted that the return is part of a broader effort to combat illegal antiquities trafficking and to encourage the voluntary restitution of cultural objects to their countries of origin.
For Cyprus, the arrival of the artifacts is another small but symbolic step in a long-standing effort to reconnect with pieces of its past, not just in museums but in the public memory they help preserve.
