Yale Will Give Peru A List Of Artifacts



Yale has agreed to turn over to Peru an inventory of some 300 museum-quality pieces--skeletons, ceramic pots and jewelry--that Hiram Bingham III dug up on his historic expedition to Machu Picchu, Peru, in 1912. Peru began to press for the return of its artifacts - a symbol of national identity and pride - after Alejandro Toledo, Peru's first ethnically indigenous president, took office in 2001. For years, Toledo's administration negotiated with Yale but as the end of his term approached in late 2005 Peru threatened to sue, evoking the shameful legacy of European colonial rule in South America. Peru's current president, Alan Garcia, took office last summer before any legal papers were filed. Alejandro Toledo grew up in Chimbote and was befriended by Peace Corps Volunteers who helped him study in the United States. Later he was a language instructor in Brockort's Peace Corps/College Degree Program. Elected President of Peru in 2000, Toledo invited the Peace Corps to return to Peru after a 27 year absence. He is presently a visiting Fellow at Stanford University.

Yale Will Give Peru A List Of Artifacts

Yale Will Give Peru A List Of Artifacts

Move May Ease Dispute Over Machu Picchu Discoveries

Yale has agreed to turn over to Peru an inventory of some 300 museum-quality pieces--skeletons, ceramic pots and jewelry--that Hiram Bingham III dug up on his historic expedition to Machu Picchu, Peru, in 1912. The discoveries awakened the Western world to the wonders of an ancient, highly advanced civilization.

By KIM MARTINEAU | Courant Staff Writer
August 14, 2007

NEW HAVEN - Yale has agreed to turn over to Peru an inventory of artifacts that explorer Hiram Bingham III carted back with him to New Haven after excavating Machu Picchu, the "lost" city of the Incas, in the Andean mountains nearly a century ago.

The breakthrough, which may ultimately help decide who gets to keep the ancient Incan artifacts, was reached this summer under Peru's new president, who appears willing to settle the dispute without resorting to the lawsuit threatened by his predecessor.

Peru's housing minister is expected to lead a delegation of Peruvians to New Haven next month to continue talks with Yale.

"Why should we pursue a lawsuit?" said Vladimír Kocerha, a spokesman for the Peruvian Embassy in Washington, D.C. "Things are progressing. We are talking to them. They are talking to us."

At stake are about 300 museum-quality pieces - skeletons, ceramic pots and jewelry - that Bingham dug up on his historic expedition to Machu Picchu in 1912. The trove awakened the Western world to the wonders of an ancient, highly advanced civilization. A history professor at Yale, Bingham promised to ship his Incan finds back to Peru when he was done studying them, but not all the objects came home as promised.

Peru began to press for the return of its artifacts - a symbol of national identity and pride - after Alejandro Toledo, Peru's first ethnically indigenous president, took office in 2001. For years, Toledo's administration negotiated with Yale but as the end of his term approached in late 2005 Peru threatened to sue, evoking the shameful legacy of European colonial rule in South America. Peru's current president, Alan Garcia, took office last summer before any legal papers were filed.

This spring, Yale President Richard Levin wrote to Garcia suggesting they find a compromise. The response was encouraging. In early June, Garcia appointed his housing minister, Hernán Garrido-Lecca, a Harvard-educated investment banker, to handle the matter.

Later that month Yale's chief counsel visited Peru and Yale agreed to prepare an inventory of the items Bingham excavated. The list should be ready to share with Peru by the end of the year, said Tom Conroy, a Yale spokesman.

Though Yale repeatedly offered to show the artifacts jointly with Peru, Yale refused to acknowledge that Peru had full ownership, fearing restrictions that would be placed on research on the bones and other material, the New York Times has reported. The National Geographic Society, which funded Bingham's 1912 expedition, remains firmly on Peru's side in demanding the repatriation of the artifacts.

Most of Bingham's finds were languishing in storage at Yale's Peabody Museum of Natural History until they were rediscovered by a husband-and-wife anthropology team at the university, Richard Burger and Lucy Salazar. The couple put together a traveling exhibit, "Machu Picchu: Unveiling the Mystery of the Incas," that came home to New Haven permanently in 2005, just as the dispute with Peru was coming to a head.

A new solution proposed by Yale would put the exhibition back on the road to raise money to build a museum in Cuzco, former capital of the Inca Empire. Yale would then transfer the artifacts there permanently, while maintaining rights to do research on lesser-quality pieces, the New York Times Magazine reported in June. Yale declined to elaborate on that possibility on Monday.

Contact Kim Martineau at kmartineau@courant.com.

Links to Related Topics (Tags):

Headlines: August, 2007; Friends: Alejandro Toledo; Museums; Figures; Friends: Alejandro Toledo; Staff; Peace Corps Peru; Directory of Peru RPCVs; Messages and Announcements for Peru RPCVs; Politics

When this story was posted in August 2007, this was on the front page of PCOL:




Peace Corps Online The Independent News Forum serving Returned Peace Corps Volunteers

---

Senator Dodd's Peace Corps Hearings Read PCOL's executive summary of Senator Chris Dodd's hearings on July 25 on the Peace Corps Volunteer Empowerment Act and why Peace Corps Director Ron Tschetter does not believe the bill would contribute to an improved Peace Corps while four other RPCV witnesses do. Highlights of the hearings included Dodd's questioning of Tschetter on political meetings at Peace Corps Headquarters and the Inspector General's testimony on the re-opening of the Walter Poirier III investigation.

---

---

August 4, 2007: This Month's Top Stories Peace Corps reopens Guinea Program 19 Jul China beating US in public diplomacy 4 Aug Shalala continues fight for wounded soldiers 4 Aug Sue Hilderbrand's goal is stopping funding for Iraq war 3 Aug Matthew Barison went from Uzbekistan to Romania 2 Aug Peter Chilson writes "Disturbance-Loving Species" 31 Jul An RPCV remembers Texas Tower Tragedy 29 Jul Daniel Balluff films documentaries on Niger 28 Jul Renewing the Bond of Trust with PCVs 27 Jul Carol Bellamy to chair Fair Labor Foundation 25 Jul Delay in Julia Campbell trial 24 Jul PCV Brian writes: Secondary Projects - First Priority 23 Jul Dodd says no easy election for Democrats in 2008 22 Jul John Smart writes: Bush's palace in Iraq 20 Jul Bill Moyers eulogizes Lady Bird Johnson 15 Jul Social Justice ranks high on Dan Weinberg’s agenda 15 Jul PCV Tait writes: Good-bye to my village 14 Jul Amy Smith organizes Development Design Summit 13 Jul Cameron Quinn to head PC Third Goal Office 11 Jul Josh Yardley brought Red Sox to Burkina Faso 11 Jul James Rupert writes: Islamabad's Red Mosque 11 Jul Sarah Chayes writes: NATO didn't lose Afghanistan 10 Jul

---

Dodd issues call for National Service Standing on the steps of the Nashua City Hall where JFK kicked off his campaign in 1960, Presidential Candidate Chris Dodd issued a call for National Service. "Like thousands of others, I heard President Kennedy's words and a short time later joined the Peace Corps." Dodd said his goal is to see 40 million people volunteering in some form or another by 2020. "We have an appetite for service. We like to be asked to roll up our sleeves and make a contribution," he said. "We haven't been asked in a long time."

---

July 9, 2007: This Month's Top Stories O'Hanlon says "soft partition" occurring in Iraq 9 Jul Eric R. Green writes on coming oil crisis 8 Jul Why Dodd joined the Peace Corps 5 Jul Jim Doyle positioned for third term 5 Jul Michael Adlerstein to direct UN Master Plan 3 Jul Shalala says Veterans report will be solution driven 1 Jul Blackwill says: No process will make up for stupidity 30 Jun Allan Reed creates a Diaspora Skills Transfer Program 29 Jun State Dept apology ends hold on Green nomination 28 Jun Call for stories to celebrate PC 50th Anniversary 25 Jun Michael Shereikis is singer and guitarist for Chopteeth 25 Jun Christopher R. Hill Visits North Korea 22 Jun Tschetter at JFK Bust Unveiling Ceremony 21 Jun Kiribati too risky for PCVs 17 Jun James Rupert writes: US calls for free Pakistani elections 17 Jun Colin Cowherd says PCVs are losers 7 Jun Tony Hall Warns of Food Shortages in North Korea 7 Jun Youth Theatre performs Spencer Smith's "Voices from Chernobyl" 7 Jun Ifugao names forest park after Julia Campbell 6 Jun Anissa Paulsen assembles "The Many Colors of Islam" 5 Jun Obituary for Nepal RPCV Loret Miller Ruppe 2 Jun Forty PCVS to arrive in Ethiopia 2 Jun

---

Public diplomacy rests on sound public policy When President Kennedy spoke of "a long twilight struggle," and challenged the country to "ask not," he signaled that the Cold War was the challenge and framework defining US foreign policy. The current challenge is not a struggle against a totalitarian foe. It is not a battle against an enemy called "Islamofascism." From these false assumptions flow false choices, including the false choice between law enforcement and war. Instead, law enforcement and military force both must be essential instruments, along with diplomacy, including public diplomacy. But public diplomacy rests on policy, and to begin with, the policy must be sound. Read more.

---

Ambassador revokes clearance for PC Director A post made on PCOL from volunteers in Tanzania alleges that Ambassador Retzer has acted improperly in revoking the country clearance of Country Director Christine Djondo. A statement from Peace Corps' Press Office says that the Peace Corps strongly disagrees with the ambassador’s decision. On June 8 the White House announced that Retzer is being replaced as Ambassador. Latest: Senator Dodd has placed a hold on Mark Green's nomination to be Ambassador to Tanzania.

---

June 1, 2007: This Month's Top Stories Returned Volunteers and Staff honor Warren Wiggins 15 May Tom Seligman curates "Art of Being Tuareg" 26 May PCV Marilyn Foss dies in China 25 May Poet Susan Rich writes: The Women of Kismayo 22 May Christopher Hill considers visit to North Korea 18 May Peter Hessler talks about time in Fuling as PCV 18 May Murder charges filed in death of PCV Julia Campbell 17 May David Pitts claims JFK offered PC to Lem Billings 16 May Niki Tsongas announces candidacy for Congress 16 May James Rupert writes: Pakistanis talk of Musharraf's departure 16 May Chris Matthews writes: Jerry Falwell's Political Legacy 15 May Ron Tschetter visits volunteers in Botswana 14 May Which assignment to take? Africa, Europe, or Central Asia 14 May Willy Volk writes: New way to keep mosquitoes at bay 14 May Jim Walsh takes special interest in Nepal 13 May NPCA offers podcasts of social entrepreneurs 10 May Gaddi Vasquez showcases food aid work in Central America 10 May Donna Tabor dreamed up Cafe Chavalos 8 May Tom Bissell writing book about Jesus' 13 Apostles 8 May Jody Olsen praises PCV blogging 7 May PC responds to missing volunteers in 2001 and 2007 2 May

---

Peace Corps Funnies A PCV writing home? Our editor hard at work? Take a look at our Peace Corps Funnies and Peace Corps Cartoons and see why Peace Corps Volunteers say that sometimes a touch of levity can be one of the best ways of dealing with frustrations in the field. Read what RPCVs say about the lighter side of life in the Peace Corps and see why irreverent observations can often contain more than a grain of truth. We'll supply the photos. You supply the captions.

---

PCOL serves half million PCOL's readership for April exceeded 525,000 visitors - a 50% increase over last year. This year also saw the advent of a new web site: Peace Corps News that together with the Peace Corps Library and History of the Peace Corps serve 17,000 RPCVs, Staff, and Friends of the Peace Corps every day. Thanks for making PCOL your source of news for the Peace Corps community. Read more.

---

Suspect confesses in murder of PCV Search parties in the Philippines discovered the body of Peace Corps Volunteer Julia Campbell near Barangay Batad, Banaue town on April 17. Director Tschetter expressed his sorrow at learning the news. “Julia was a proud member of the Peace Corps family, and she contributed greatly to the lives of Filipino citizens in Donsol, Sorsogon, where she served,” he said. Latest: Suspect Juan Duntugan admits to killing Campbell. Leave your thoughts and condolences .

---

Warren Wiggins: Architect of the Peace Corps Warren Wiggins, who died at 84 on April 13, became one of the architects of the Peace Corps in 1961 when his paper, "A Towering Task," landed in the lap of Sargent Shriver, just as Shriver was trying to figure out how to turn the Peace Corps into a working federal department. Shriver was electrified by the treatise, which urged the agency to act boldly. Read Mr. Wiggins' obituary and biography, take an opportunity to read the original document that shaped the Peace Corps' mission, and read John Coyne's special issue commemorating "A Towering Task."

---

The Peace Corps Library The Peace Corps Library is now available online with over 40,000 index entries in 500 categories. Looking for a Returned Volunteer? Check our RPCV Directory or leave a message on our Bulletin Board. New: Sign up to receive our free Monthly Magazine by email, research the History of the Peace Corps, or sign up for a daily news summary of Peace Corps stories. FAQ: Visit our FAQ for more information about PCOL.

---

Chris Dodd's Vision for the Peace Corps Senator Chris Dodd (RPCV Dominican Republic) spoke at the ceremony for this year's Shriver Award and elaborated on issues he raised at Ron Tschetter's hearings. Dodd plans to introduce legislation that may include: setting aside a portion of Peace Corps' budget as seed money for demonstration projects and third goal activities (after adjusting the annual budget upward to accommodate the added expense), more volunteer input into Peace Corps operations, removing medical, healthcare and tax impediments that discourage older volunteers, providing more transparency in the medical screening and appeals process, a more comprehensive health safety net for recently-returned volunteers, and authorizing volunteers to accept, under certain circumstances, private donations to support their development projects. He plans to circulate draft legislation for review to members of the Peace Corps community and welcomes RPCV comments.

---

He served with honor One year ago, Staff Sgt. Robert J. Paul (RPCV Kenya) carried on an ongoing dialog on this website on the military and the peace corps and his role as a member of a Civil Affairs Team in Iraq and Afghanistan. We have just received a report that Sargeant Paul has been killed by a car bomb in Kabul. Words cannot express our feeling of loss for this tremendous injury to the entire RPCV community. Most of us didn't know him personally but we knew him from his words. Our thoughts go out to his family and friends. He was one of ours and he served with honor.

Read the stories and leave your comments.