Collection of pre-Columbian artifacts returned to Peru

At the restitution ceremony held at the Peruvian Foreign Ministry, the capital of the country, Lima, welcomed the return of more than 200 cultural objects from the United States, Germany, Belgium, Canada and Spain, Azernews reports, citing foreign media outlets.

The collection includes items from the pre-Hispanic period: kippah, Inca sculptures, textiles of the Chankai culture and ceramic products.

The restitution of artifacts became possible thanks to the collective efforts of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the Ministry of Culture, the Ministry of Internal Affairs, the Prosecutor's Office and Interpol.

"I would like to take this opportunity to thank foreign citizens and organizations representing Germany, Belgium, Canada, Spain and the United States, who are aware of the damage caused by the illegal trade in cultural property and support our efforts to return cultural heritage," Ignacio Higueras, Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs of Peru, said at the ceremony.

The extensive returned collection includes 198 archaeological artifacts, one historical and artistic exhibit and three archival and documentary items. It is noteworthy that 154 archaeological objects were voluntarily returned by citizens from all over the world, which indicates a global commitment to the preservation of culture.

The remaining 42 items were found as a result of confiscation conducted by the U.S. Department of Homeland Security and German police. Two items have been returned by the Santa Barbara Museum of Natural History in Los Angeles.

Notable items from the pre-Hispanic period include two quipus and lithic artifacts, including mace heads and Inca sculptures, tools and fragments of Chankai textiles, as well as metal products related to the Chimu culture. The collection also includes ceramic products representing the cultures of Moche, Nazca, Lambaeque, Inca and others.