The antiquities date to various periods of Cypriot history, from around 2000 BC up to the 18^th century AD. These include, amongst others, ancient clay and glass vessels, limestone sculptures, coins and an ecclesiastical wall painting fragment. All antiquities had been handed over to the Embassy of the Republic of Cyprus in Washington by the US authorities or by private individuals.

Specifically, on the April 20 an official repatriation ceremony took place at the Embassy of the Republic of Cyprus in Washington, signaling the return of the antiquities to their place of origin, which is Cyprus.

The Department of Antiquities and the National Committee for Combatting the Looting and Illicit Trafficking of Antiquities wish to warmly thank the competent authorities of US and especially the HSI, FBI, CBP and the State Department for their excellent collaboration and their tireless efforts towards the protection of cultural heritage and the combatting of illicit trafficking of cultural objects.

Towards this direction, the Cultural Property Agreement that is in force between the US and the Republic of Cyprus concerning the Imposition of Import Restrictions on Pre-Classical and Classical Archaeological Objects and Byzantine and Post-Byzantine Period Ecclesiastical and Ritual Ethnological Materials, remains of extremely vital importance.

The Department of Antiquities and the National Committee for Combatting the Looting and Illicit Trafficking of Antiquities also wish to express their sincere appreciation and to thank the private individuals in the United States of America who voluntarily handed over the Cypriot antiquities that were in their possession, in order for them to be returned to their place of origin.