The Department of Antiquities of the Republic of Cyprus of the Deputy Ministry of Culture of the Republic of Cyprus announces that on 29 May 2026, one Cypriot antiquity was handed over to the High Commission of the Republic of Cyprus in Ottawa, Canada.

The antiquity was originally detected on May 6, 2025, during an online auction, by the Department of Antiquities Officers responsible for monitoring the illicit trafficking of Cypriot antiquities on the internet.

Following a coordinated one-year effort involving the Department of Antiquities of the Republic of Cyprus, the Cyprus Police, Interpol, the Ministry of Justice and Public Order of the Republic of Cyprus and the Department of Justice of Canada, the holder of the antiquity decided to return it to its country of origin.

The antiquity is a black polished ware hemispherical bowl with incised decoration, dating to the Early Cypriot III/Middle Cypriot I period (around 1900 BC).

The Department of Antiquities of the Republic of Cyprus expresses its sincere gratitude to all the agencies that contributed to the overall process, as well as to the High Commission of the Republic of Cyprus in Ottawa for its cooperation and coordination during the repatriation process.