During a ceremony held at
received 40 historically-significant archaeological pieces, recovered through significant efforts made by Peruvian diplomats in the host country, alongside British citizens committed to preserving our cultural heritage.
The
40 archaeological pieces belong to the Vicus, Nasca, Chimu, Lambayeque, and Chancay cultures, the
Ministry of Foreign Affairs reported.
The government official thanked all the parties involved in the recovery of the artifacts for their dedication to cultural preservation.
He emphasized that this achievement "reaffirms Peru's commitment to raising awareness about the damage caused by the illegal trafficking of cultural property."
Similarly, the Peruvian government official warned that the rise in online sales and auctions of cultural objects represents an increasing challenge that requires a coordinated international response.
Pre-Hispanic Styles
Among the returned objects are eight pre-Hispanic artifacts, belonging to the Nasca, Chimu, Lambayeque, Chancay styles, as well as others developed along Peru's northern coast.
They were handed over by British citizen Hazel Patterson, and range from the Early Horizon period (900 BC–200 BC) to the Late Intermediate period (1000 AD–1476 AD).
In turn, a citizen identified as Michael Johnson returned seven pieces from the Lambayeque, Chimu, and Chancay cultures, corresponding to the Late Intermediate period.
For his part, Joe Collier returned 23 pieces from the Chancay and Vicus styles, originating from the northern and central coast. They developed during the Early Intermediate period (200 BC–600 AD) and the Late Intermediate period.
Additionally, the Embassy recovered two pieces from the Moche and Chimu cultures, which were at the John Nicholson's auction house. This recovery was made possible through a management process based on a report from the Ministry of Culture. It verified their belonging to Peru's national heritage.
Cusco Forum in May
The importance of international cooperation in preserving the identity and memory of peoples was highlighted during the cultural heritage recovery ceremony.
In this regard, Minister Schialer announced the upcoming III Cusco Forum in May, a Peruvian initiative that "provides a crucial space for dialogue, focused on enhancing international cooperation for the protection and restitution of cultural heritage."
The forum will be attended by the Secretaries-General of UNESCO and Interpol, as well as Culture Ministers from the region.