Peru may take new legal actions—possibly including criminal complaints against individuals—in its long-running dispute with Yale University over the ownership of artifacts from the Inca site known as Machu Picchu, according to reports this weekend by the Peru News Agency. The announcements are part of a broad rhetorical escalation in the conflict. Last month Peru’s president demanded that the disputed artifacts be returned by July 7, 2011—the centenary of the day Hiram Bingham, a Yale-affiliated explorer, arrived at the site. Peru filed a federal lawsuit against Yale in 2008. On September 17, a U.S. district court in Connecticut held a hearing on Yale’s motion to dismiss the case, but the court has not yet ruled on that motion.
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7 Responses to In Artifacts Dispute, Peru Sharpens Its Anti-Yale Rhetoric
lslerner - October 25, 2010 at 4:00 pm
The Peruvian approach is counterproductive. Countries like Peru and Bolivia do not have the resources to properly protect and investigate archeological sites, and the result is that the main “archeologists” are local tomb robbers looking for saleable goodies. I’ve seen the baleful effects myself at places like Tiahuanaco and Pachacamac.
A rational approach would be to invite foreign archeologists in on something like a fifty-fifty basis. That way the host country and the investigators’ country would share in the new knowledge of the ancient heritage instead of subjecting the sites to permanent ruin.
And by putting some of the treasures in high-quality, accessible museums around the world, the host country would disseminate appreciation of its ancient culture.
azfaculty - October 25, 2010 at 4:46 pm
Agree with above. It’s not neocolonialism to point out that there is no strong connection between the current government of the modern state of Peru, and the Inca empire. What has the modern state of Peru done to make the Inca artifacts that it has broadly accessible, for example through the web, to the descendants of peoples in Northern Chile, Bolivia, and Ecuador who were (depending on how you look at it) colonized, enslaved, or simply “part” of the Inca Empire?
Who’s to say that the artifacts won’t be further “privatized” when the modern state of Peru changes course once again? What has the modern state of Peru done with the many, many artifacts that it has?
engfaculty - October 25, 2010 at 6:04 pm
I’m not sure if I’m more startled by Yale’s refusal to put this issue to rest and return what is clearly the cultural legacy of Peru or at the comments above. The notion that “Countries like Peru and Bolivia do not have the resources to properly protect and investigate archeological sites” is absolutely neocolonial thinking. And the implication that archeologists are “tomb robbers” is offensive and paternalistic. The debate between Peru and Yale is not about an archeological site, but about artifacts that Yale has had in its possession well over 50 years.
Moreover, Peruvian archeologists have been very successful in their excavations in multiples sites throughout Peru. Ultimately who are we, and who is Yale to determine what may or may not be “trusted” in the hands of Peruvians?
As far as the artifacts that Peru has in its possession, many of them are available to citizens and visitors throughout the country in the numerous museums, private and public. Peruvians have a right to their cultural history. I’m sure that as Americans we would not tolerate the looting of our own historical artifacts.
11223435 - October 25, 2010 at 6:46 pm
Maybe not, but “we” sure as hell tolerated the looting of Native American sites by “us.”
11229289 - October 25, 2010 at 8:23 pm
Having spoken with a number of professors and other interested parties on my visit to Peru, I must say that Yale is acting in a very colonial mind-set that they are the rightful owners of the artifacts. If one were to read the background as to how Bingham “got” the artifacts one can only surmise that it was done with a certain degree of self promotion. They are rightfully Peru. Period.
chrisheaney7 - October 26, 2010 at 3:35 pm
It’s a really tough question. The hardline stances of modern Peru and Yale aside, it’s clear that Peru in 1912 *thought* that Bingham was going to return the artifacts and celebrated that fact — that they had turned back the tide of artifact exportation. You can check out my book on the subject, published this April, for the full story: http://www.amazon.com/Cradle-Gold-Bingham-Real-Life-Indiana/dp/0230611699/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1265564855&sr=8-1
corridorman4u - October 30, 2010 at 12:40 pm
This is a very simple matter. I dont see how can anyone see this as a tough question.
Around 100 years ago Peru and Yale university made a deal. Yale university would take this artifacts found to study them for some time, and when done studying them, they would be returned to peru.
Well, the studies the university made on the artifacts are finished, yet 100 years later Yale University still has the artifacts adn rufuse to return them.
Its very simple. Its called STEALING. ITs like if you take your car to the mechaic for a tune up. After the tune up is done, the mechanic calls you and says “well im not giving back your car to you because you dont have the resources to maintain it”. I think there was an episode on the show Seinfield that this happes. Its something really really stupid. Its a no brainer. Its called Theft.
Why would Yale university keep peruvian patrimony? The artifacts are part of Peruvian history and they should be on peru.
What Azfaculty and Islener say is non sensens. If you are worried about Tomb Robbers, then Yale University should go to Egypt and take everthing they find in the pyramids.
Besides, Most countries in the world that has some sort of ancient civilization, suffer from tomb robbers. In the U.S, you dont hear mcuh about this, because pillgrims slaughtered almost all Indias and well, thats the closest thing to an Ancient Heritige that U.S had.
Yales University, clearly lost any decensy they ever had. This is a million dollars theft, and should be puished by the law.
To finish, Peru has one of the top developmetal improvement in the world, If i rember correctly its the forth… so thats says alot. Maybe before peru didnt has resources before, but now a days they are starting to do things right…