Ancient clay figurine repatriated to Cyprus from UK

The Department of Antiquities, Ministry of Transport, Communications and Works, announced that an ancient clay figurine has been repatriated to Cyprus from the United Kingdom. The clay figurine depicts a horse and rider/warrior and dates to the Cypro-Archaic period (approximately 700 BC).

The figurine was identified by the Department of Antiquities on the website of a London-based antiquities dealer’s shop. Following a request by the Department of Antiquities and the Cyprus Police, the shop handed over the figurine to the London Metropolitan Police, which in turn, returned it to the Department of Antiquities in July 2016.

The figurine was part of Mr Christakis Hadjiprodromou’s registered private collection that was kept in his house in Ammochostos (Famagusta) prior to the Turkish invasion in 1974. As a result of the invasion, Mr Hadjiprodromou’s residence was pillaged and his collection was looted, with its objects being scattered around the world.

Source: Press and Information Office, Ministry of Interior, Republic of Cyprus [August 06, 2016]