Cypriot artifact returned from Canada after online auction attempt

A 3,900-year-old Cypriot ceramic flask has been returned to Cyprus from Canada. The artifact, a hemispherical black-polished flask with engraved decoration dating to approximately 1900 BC (Early Cypriot III–Middle Cypriot I period), was identified by Cypriot authorities during an online auction on May 6, 2025. Following the discovery, a year-long repatriation process was initiated involving the Cyprus Department of Antiquities, the Cyprus Police, Interpol, the Cyprus Ministry of Justice, and the Canadian Department of Justice. The artifact was officially surrendered to the High Commission of the Republic of Cyprus in Ottawa on May 29, 2026. The private owner in Canada agreed to return the object voluntarily after the coordinated legal efforts. The item is now under the care of the Department of Antiquities for preservation.