Yale Will Return Disputed Artifacts To Peru

Yale University has announced that it will return to Peru all of the artifacts from the Incan site of Machu Picchu that have been at the center of a bitter legal battle.  

"..entregar en su totalidad  todo los bienes, fragmentos y partes que fueron tomados de Machu Picchu por el senor Hiram Bingham hace casi un siglo".

Peruvian President Alan Garcia announced Friday that Yale will return a collection of antiquities taken by explorer Hiram Bingham nearly a century ago. The news followed a meeting last week in Peru between President Garcia and a Yale delegation. That came on the heels of Peru’s nearly month-long global media campaign aimed at drawing attention to the long-standing dispute.   In early November, Garcia asked President Obama’s help to resolve the standoff.  A few days later, thousands of protestors marched in Lima demanding that Yale send back the antiquities. Then - Peruvian politician Luis Castaneda visited the Vatican and asked the Pope to intercede.

"Because Yale is sending the artifacts back, they’re fulfilling the terms under which they left in the beginning." Chris Heaney is author of the book Cradle of Gold, about the life of Hiram Bingham.  He says Yale and Peru began a collaboration at Machu Picchu in the early 20th century. "Its because of their work together that Machu Picchu became famous and important to how we understand the Incas.  Its wonderful to see that before the 100th anniversary of Bingham’s visit, the artifacts will be going home."

In a statement issued Sunday night, Yale said it will send to the University of Cusco thousands of archeological artifacts: jewelry, ceramics and human remains. 

"Eso me parece que es una noticia extraordinaria que el pueblo peruano y fundamentalmente el pueblo cusqueño que haya recibido, no?  Ojala que concretice esta realidad."  Donato Amado is a Peruvian historian. Speaking from Cusco, Amado says he hopes details of the extraordinary news will be finalized soon.  

The announcement has made headlines in Peru and around the world, but Amado is cautious.  The custody battle over these materials has gone on for decades.  When a 2007 Memorandum of Understanding fell through,  Peru filed a federal lawsuit to get the Machu Picchu collection back.  

Again author Chris Heaney. "Peru allowed the artifacts to leave in 1912 with the expectation that they would someday return.  And you see through the 1920s, the 1950s, every so often, this rise in sentiment and desire for the artifacts to come back, but an inability to make that happen."

Peruvian business leader Jose Koechlin says he’s hopeful that this time, the fight is finally over.  He says Machu Picchu holds a unique place in Peruvian culture and identity. And this weekend’s announcement couldn’t come at a more historic moment.  "Next year it will be 100 years since Machu Picchu was uncovered and exposed to the world. So all the pieces coming back represent a whole context of the Inca culture in Peru."

Museum quality objects will in Peru in time for centennial celebrations.  The remainder will return within two years.  Yale plans work together with the University of Cusco on a new museum and research center to house the antiquities.