In a major move addressing historical injustices, Manhattan District Attorney Alvin L. Bragg, Jr. has facilitated the return of eight significant antiquities to Peru. These pieces, which include a gilded Moche copper mask and a Chavín effigy bottle, were seized during ongoing investigations into looting networks that target cultural heritage in South and Central America. These efforts were highlighted in a ceremony which took place at the Peruvian Consulate in New York City, celebrating the repatriation of these cultural treasures.
The returned items originate from historical hot spots that have suffered under looters' hands for the past half-century. "Many of the objects being repatriated today are from areas of Peru that have been repeatedly targeted by looters, but today we were able to undo some of the harm they have caused," District Attorney Bragg said in a statement released by the Manhattan District Attorney’s Office. This repatriation represents the second such collaboration under Bragg's administration, reinforcing a growing trend towards the restitution of cultural heritage.
Peruvians value these ceremonious returns highly, as they symbolize the enduring struggle to protect a nation's identity through its cultural patrimony. Consul General Minister Oswaldo Del Águila Ramírez expressed gratitude for the U.S. and New York authorities' assistance, saying, "The return of these eight astonishing artefacts, representing diverse Precolumbian Peruvian cultures, is a testament to our commitment to safeguarding out cultural patrimony." The statement to Manhattan District Attorney’s Office further emphasized the importance of international collaboration in countering the trafficking of cultural goods.
The scope of these investigations is significant. The Antiquities Trafficking Unit (ATU), since its creation, has been to lead the charge in securing over 6,000 antiquities valued at a staggering $470 million, which Matthew Bogdanos, Chief of the ATU, directed. Their work has not only recovered stolen cultural objects but led to convictions of 17 individuals connected to these crimes. Furthermore, this particular operation was carried out by Assistant District Attorneys James Edwards-Lebair and Taylor Holland, alongside their team, maintaining a high level of vigilance and expertise in pursuing such cases.
Amidst ongoing efforts to thwart illegal antiquities trafficking, the DA's office has announced that to date, over 5,500 historical items have been successfully returned to 30 countries.
