Yale pressed for return of Peruvian artifacts

Peru is preparing a lawsuit against Yale University to retrieve artifacts taken nearly a century ago from the Inca citadel of Machu Picchu, a government official said Wednesday.

Peru has held discussions in recent years with Yale seeking the return of nearly 5,000 artifacts, including ceramics and human bones that explorer Hiram Bingham dug up during three expeditions to Machu Picchu in 1911, 1912 and 1914. . .

Lumbreras said former President Augusto B. Leguia gave Bingham ``permission to temporarily export the objects for scientific ends,'' with the agreement that the artifacts would be returned after one year. That later was extended by 18 months.

``Theoretically, they should have been returned after Jan. 27, 1916,'' Lumbreras said. ``The fact is, they weren't returned.'

Posted by David on December 1, 2005 2:33 PM