Nicosia, Cyprus. An ancient juglet has been returned to Cyprus after officials identified it during an online auction in the United Kingdom, the antiquities department said on Wednesday. The artefact is a base-ring juglet dating to approximately 1450BC.
Identification and return
Department officials monitoring the trade of Cypriot antiquities identified the handmade pottery vessel after it was sold on April 6 at an online auction.
The auction house, Halls Fine Art Auctioneers, and the owner of the artefact agreed to return it after being contacted by the antiquities department. It was handed over to the Cypriot High Commission in London on June 23.
Department statement
After the artefact was returned, the antiquities department thanked the auction house, the owner and the high commission “for their cooperation and the coordination of the repatriation procedures.”
Recent repatriations
The repatriation is the latest instance of antiquities being returned to Cyprus. Last month, dozens of artefacts were returned from Greece, while artefacts from Canada and the United States have also been returned in recent months.
