II. Background

The bilateral agreement is in response to a request from the Government of the Republic of Cyprus seeking protection of its cultural heritage under Article 9 of the 1970 UNESCO Convention on the Means of Prohibiting and Preventing the Illicit Import, Export and Transfer of Ownership of Cultural Property. Cyprus was the first country in the Mediterranean region to seek the help of the United States in protecting its cultural property.

Cypriot culture is among the oldest in the Mediterranean. Its rich archaeological heritage illustrates the interaction of the island's inhabitants with neighboring societies, while maintaining a uniquely Cypriot character. Much of the history of the island from the 8th millennium B.C. to approximately 330 A.D. can be understood only from archaeological remains, as historical texts are very rare. There is a long history of documented pillage of archaeological sites in Cyprus, including evidence of current pillage; such activity jeopardizes the ability of archaeologists and historians to reconstruct Cypriot culture. The MOU offers the opportunity for the U.S. and Cyprus to cooperate in reducing the incentive for further pillage thereby protecting the context of intact sites for scientific study.

A description of the artifacts was published by U.S. Customs on July 19, 2002, in the Federal Register. The categories of pre-classical and classical archaeological material subject to import restriction include objects of ceramic, stone, and metal, including vessels, sculpture, mosaics, inscriptions, architectural elements, and jewelry. They range in date from approximately the 8th millennium B.C. to 330 A.D.

IV. Import Regulations

V. For More Information