The lot includes clay vessels dating from the Early and Middle Bronze Ages, four clay lamps that date from the Cypriot Classical and Late Roman periods, as well as medieval objects.
All of them were taken from the Republic of Cyprus in 1964-1968 by a German citizen who worked at the German Embassy in Nicosia. After his death in 2023, his heir, Eva-Maria Vaas, contacted the Embassy of the Republic of Cyprus in Berlin and expressed her desire to return the antiquities to the island.
In its statement, the Department of Antiquities expresses its sincere gratitude to the donor for her initiative to return the artifacts to Cyprus and for her cooperation in this project. The Office also thanked the Embassy of the Republic of Cyprus in Berlin and especially Ambassador Maria Papakiryakou for her valuable contribution to the return process.
The Department of Antiquities, as the competent authority of the Republic of Cyprus for the protection of archaeological heritage, recognizes the important role that the public can play in the search for and return of illegally exported antiquities. The department encourages those who wish to contribute to contact them directly.
The text was prepared based on materials from Politis
Read also
In May 2024, the author of the book “The Icon Hunter,” Tasoula Hadjittofi, presented the editors of the “Herald of Cyprus” with a book in which she spoke about an important process - the search and return of 318 relics of Cypriot origin, illegally exported from the territory of Cyprus. Read the link.
Read 151
