Country Summary for CYPRUS

Definitions

'Ancient Monument'—any building or site specified in the First or Second Schedule to this Law; or any other object, building, or site designated by the Council of Ministers. (Antiquities Law §2)

'Antiquity'— means each object, either movable or a part of an immovable property, which represents a work of architecture, sculpture, graphic art, painting or any kind of artwork, which has been produced, carved, written, painted or generally constructed by humans in any manner and with any material before the last hundred years, and was found, discovered or excavated on the territory of Cyprus, and includes every such object or part of an object which was added, reconstructed, readjusted or substituted subsequently. It shall be understood that the ecclesiastic or folk art with important archaeological, artistic or historical importance, instead of the chronological landmark of hundred years, the year 1940 C.E. shall be considered as a landmark, regardless from the place of construction or their origin. (Antiquities Law §2)

'Cultural Object'—object which is classified before or after its unlawful removal from the territory of a member state among the ‘national treasures possessing artistic, historic or archaeological value’ under national legislation or national administrative procedures within the meaning of Article 36 of the Treaty [of the EU] and
          (a) belongs to one of the categories listed in the Annex, or
          (b) forms an integral part of a public collection listed in the
               inventories of museums, archives, in libraries conservation funds,
               of members states, or
          (c) belongs to the catalogues of Church establishments. (2002 RCO §2).

'Director'—Director of Antiquities. (Antiquities Law §2)

'Export License'—license required for the export of cultural goods and for which the form is determined by virtue of the provisions of Sections 13 and 15 of this Law. (2002 ECGL, §2)

'Minister'—Minister of Communications and Works. (Antiquities Law §2)


Registry

Every person in possession of antiquities at the date of the coming into force of the present Law shall in period of six months from the 1st of July 1973, submit to the Director a list describing these antiquities to the best of his abilities. (Antiquities Law §33(1))

Any person in possession of an antiquity not included in the list submitted to the Director pursuant to Article 33, shall not be criminally subject if within six months from the date of coming into force of the present Law he declares the said antiquity to the Director. (Antiquities Law §33A(1))


State Agency

The Council of Ministers may, upon recommendation of the Director, from time to time, by Order in the Official Gazette of the Republic:
          (a) declare any object, building or site on any land which they deem
                to be of public interest due to their historic, architectural, traditional,
                artistic or archaeological nature connected thereto to be an ancient
                monument, and simultaneously it shall be added to the First and the
                Second Schedule of the present Law, depending on the case;
          (a) determine that any ancient monument defined or added to each Schedule
                should be transferred to another Schedule of the present Law.
                (Antiquities Law §6(1))