The looting and trade of world heritage is the subject of the exhibition History Lost , hosted by the Cyprus Museum, from 15 June – 21 August 2006.

History Lost transports the visitor from the looting of the Baghdad archaeological museum and the destruction of statues in Cambodia , to the illegal sale of Cypriot and Greek antiquities in US auction houses.

The Exhibition begins with a historical overview of the birth and evolution of the antiquities trade from the 18 th century and the creation of the first large antiquity collections of the Louvre, the British Museum and of European aristocrats with a passion for classical antiquity. As the admiration of the Western World - and of America –for ancient civilizations grows, the theft and destruction of archaeological sites around the world intensifies.

The Exhibition takes place at a time when the ethics of Western museums are being intensely debated, together with the measures necessary for the preservation of the world's cultural heritage. Examples from Cyprus , Greece , Italy and Turkey are presented, countries which during the last years have successfully reclaimed antiquities, illegally exported and sold abroad.

Taking the form of a multimedia exhibition in Greek and English, History Lost addresses the wider public. Extracts of documentaries from all over the world are being screened, and the visitor is able to play with three interactive games.

Supported by the «CULTURE 2000» Programme of the European Union, the Exhibition is co-organised by the McDonald Institute of Cambridge University, the Greek Ministry of Culture, the Cypriot Department of Antiquities and the University of the Aegean . Partners are the Benaki Museum in Athens and the American organisation Saving Antiquities for Everyone (SAFE). The exhibition is sponsored by ALPHA BANK and Aegean Airlines. The project in Cyprus is supported by the Cyprus Broadcasting Corporation, the Cyprus Tourism Organisation and the Ministry of Education and Culture, which in coordination with the Pedagogical Institute, will distribute educational material to schools in Cyprus .

Athens-based ANEMON Productions coordinated the Exhibition in collaboration with Hathor Productions in Cyprus .

After Cyprus , the Exhibition travelled to the Benaki Museum in Athens in September - October 2006.

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