Peru recovered 109 cultural goods that were being auctioned in America and Europe

RIO DE JANEIRO, BRAZIL – Peru recovered 109 cultural goods, including pre-Inca archeological pieces and ancient documents, illegally extracted from its territory and repatriated from six countries in the Americas and Europe, including Argentina, the Ministry of Culture informed today.

“Peru received a total of 109 cultural goods repatriated from various countries in the Americas and Europe, which were illegally taken from the country and were sold, in most cases, through auction houses and the Internet,” said a statement from the Ministry, according to the AFP news agency.

Among the recovered goods, 21 documents are dating from the Colony and 88 archaeological pieces belonging to the Moche, Nazca, Vicus, Wari, Chancay, Chimu, and Inca cultures, among others, which were repatriated from the United States, the Netherlands, Mexico, Argentina, Portugal, and the United Kingdom.

Among the recovered cultural heritage, 30 archaeological pieces stand out, which were going to be auctioned through the web page of the Vendu Rotterdam company from the Netherlands.

The Peruvian Minister of Culture, Gisela Ortiz, highlighted that this achievement results from collaborative work with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and other institutions linked to the fight against illegal trafficking of cultural property.

“Starting the year with this important result encourages us to continue in defense of sovereignty over our invaluable legacy,” Ortiz said, according to AFP.

In 2019, Peru recovered more than 1,010 cultural goods that went abroad illegally.

The country was the cradle of great civilizations such as the Inca empire (1438-1533) and later was the capital of the Spanish viceroyalty (1542-1824).