The 2,750-year-old Cypro-Archaic juglet. Credit: Department of Antiquities, Cyprus
Cyprus has reclaimed a 2,750-year-old jug after officials identified the ancient vessel at a UK auction house in the Cotswolds. The ancient artifact, dated to around 750 BC, appeared in a recent listing at The Cotswold Auction Company in Cirencester.
Specialists reviewing the catalogue recognized the object as Cypriot in origin. Their findings were confirmed by archaeological experts in Cyprus, who quickly alerted authorities. Once the confirmation reached the auction house, staff removed the jug from the sale.
The vessel, known as a “juglet,” is now back under the care of Cypriot officials. Researchers say the return strengthens efforts to safeguard cultural heritage and keeps ancient artefacts connected to their place of origin.
Auction house cooperates after identification
The discovery prompted immediate action from The Cotswold Auction Company. Saleroom manager Niall Fry said the business acted as soon as Cyprus identified the vessel.
“As a company, we are committed to respecting the cultural heritage of other countries, as well as our own, and fully support the Cypriot government in its efforts to repatriate antiquities,” Fry said.
He added that the seller had not engaged in wrongdoing. Fry said the jug may have been in the United Kingdom for decades or even centuries before it resurfaced at auction. He said the owner likely did not know the object’s legal status in Cyprus.
The clarification, he said, was important to ensure transparency and protect both sellers and cultural authorities.
Formal handover to the Cypriot government
The jug was formally handed over to Marios Theocharous, the cultural counsellor for the Cypriot government. Theocharous visited the auction house in Cirencester to receive it on behalf of Cyprus.
He described the juglet as a valuable symbol of the island’s early history. He called it “significant” and “a piece of our collective memory,” saying its return reflects the importance of reconnecting historical objects to their homeland.
The vessel is now held at the Cypriot High Commission in London. It will remain there until the Cypriot antiquities department arranges its transport back to the island. Officials expect the juglet to go on public display once it reaches a museum in Cyprus.
Details of the artefact
The antiquity is identified as a Black-on-Red II (V) jug, also known as a prochoiske, measuring approximately 7 centimeters in height. This typology places it within the Cypro-Archaic Period (750–475 BC), a period marked by distinct ceramic styles and active trade networks across the eastern Mediterranean.
The ceramic style reflects artistic traditions that circulated widely across the Greek-speaking world during the Archaic era, linking Cyprus culturally to ancient Greece.
Ongoing efforts to restore cultural heritage
The Cypriot government continues its work to recover artefacts that represent the island’s long and complex past. Many of these objects were left in Cyprus during earlier periods of conflict, colonial administration, or undocumented movement of antiquities.
Officials say repatriation plays a central role in preserving the island’s cultural identity. The effort also highlights the responsibilities auction houses and collectors share in protecting historical material.
Cyprus has been a crossroads of civilizations for thousands of years, shaped by trade routes linking Greece, Egypt, and the Middle East. Archaeologists say this history created a rich cultural record that must be protected.
The return of the 2,750-year-old jug adds another success to Cyprus’ ongoing campaign to reclaim its heritage—one object at a time.