THE DIRECTOR of the Antiquities Department said he was shocked and outraged by Achilleas’ story.
“What he and people like him are doing is a clear violation of the law, which forbids the use of a metal detector in or in the vicinity of an area declared for ancient monuments,” said Pavlos Flourentzos
Responding to Achilleas’ call for an amendment to the 1935 law, Flourentzos said only a qualified archaeologist is entitled to conduct excavations and must do so with the backing of an institute of learning, with the support of other specialists such as photographers and draftsmen.
He added that private citizens are not qualified to conduct excavations.
Commenting on Achilleas’ assertion that he finds or keeps anything that he finds, Flourentzos said he is using his metal detector “for personal gain” and that this was unacceptable.
What Achilleas and his friends want is a law similar to the 1996 British law to be implemented here in Cyprus.
“This cannot happen here as all artefacts belong to the government, under Article 33 of the Constitution. Not even a landowner is entitled to any antiquities discovered on his or her property.”
He also drew attention to a US State Department announcement in July, imposing import restrictions on Cypriot coins that date from the end of 600BC-235BC.
At a ceremony in Washington, Undersecretary of State, R. Nicholas Burns said that the move will help Cyprus to battle “those who would plunder its heritage and seek to sell that heritage illegally”.
At the time, Cyprus’ Ambassador to the US, Andreas Kakouris, said that the island’s cultural heritage is one of the oldest and richest in the world, dating back 10,000 years. He had a message for coin collectors: “It may be your hobby, but it’s our heritage.”
The coin restrictions cover a wider Memorandum of Understanding between the two countries, which covers artefacts dating back to 8000BC up to the 12th century.
According to Flourentzos, the Memorandum involved “a big effort on our part and includes the export of any artefact from the above dates, unless we have given our permission”.
He added that this is the first time that the United States has taken action to protect the coins of a country.
“The cultural heritage of Cyprus must be protected from illegal looting, exporting and sales abroad.”
Flourentzos also shot down Achilleas’ techniques for conserving coins, describing them as, “wrong and inappropriate”.
He also criticised his statements that the authorities do not possess sufficient storage space to cater for pieces legitimately found, saying: “We have more than enough room. In fact, our warehouse space is growing every year.”
Concluding, the Antiquities chief said the problem of illegal excavations is very serious and widespread, “with a whole club of people out there operating illegally, whether at declared antiquities sites or at the beach”.
“These people are doing enormous damage to the heritage of Cyprus. We call on stricter laws, but this is not always in our hands.”
Currently, offenders face three years in prison and/or a fine of €2,500.
“We co-operate with the police, who have specially-trained personnel and together, we have caught and punished several people.”
The Police Office of Cultural Property was established in 1998. Its main roles involve advising and coordinating activities of local criminal investigative departments and dealing with cases involving matters of cultural property.
Doctor Panayiotis Nicolaides is in charge of the office and he told the Mail that there is close co-operation with the Antiquities Department, Customs & Excise and Interpol.
“Our goal is to protect and preserve the cultural heritage of Cyprus, to fight the trafficking of antiquities and to return stolen items to their rightful owners,” he said.
“The problem we are faced with is a big one, with thousands of antiquities stolen, destroyed and illegally traded since 1974.
“Over the years, smugglers in the occupied areas have set up organised networks, whose purpose is to facilitate the trade of stolen works of art.”
According to Superintendent Nicolaides, there have been an average of ten cases of illegal possession and trading investigated every year over the last seven years.
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