Peru recovers 4,600 culturally significant items from across US and Europe

By Catherine Nicholls, CNN

(CNN) — More than 4,000 culturally significant items, including textiles, ceramics, and clothing, have been repatriated to Peru, their country of origin, the Peruvian Ministry of Foreign Affairs said in a statement.

The 4,600 cultural assets were returned to the South American country from the United States and countries across Europe including Germany, Italy, and Switzerland, the foreign ministry said Wednesday.

According to the statement, Peru’s Ministry of Culture and Ministry of Foreign Affairs worked alongside local authorities, consulates and embassies in the countries where the objects were located to bring them back to Peru.

Of the items returned, 4,556 came from a collection of archaeological material belonging to the late American archaeologist and anthropologist John Rowe, the statement said. Another 33 were returned from Italy – 21 of which were previously seized by Italian authorities from an art gallery, the statement continued. Among these items were clothing and ceramics from the Nazca, Wari, Inca, Paracas and Chimú cultures, it said.

A silver incense burner from the 18th or 19th century was returned from Portugal, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs said, and other archaeological items were voluntarily returned from Germany and the Netherlands. Swiss authorities also seized and repatriated four pieces of pre-Hispanic ceramics, the statement continued.

“Since 2019, Peru has managed to recover more than 7,000 pieces of its cultural heritage, establishing itself as an international benchmark in the fight against illicit trafficking of cultural property,” Peru’s foreign minister, Javier González-Olaechea, said at a ceremony marking the return of the objects.

“We will continue on this upward path in strengthening sovereignty over our precious heritage, because the cultural legacy of Peru is a fundamental pillar for the formation of our identity as Peruvians,” Leslie Urteaga, the country’s culture minister, said, according to a post on the Ministry of Culture’s X account.

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CNN’s Vasco Cotovio contributed to this report.