Dodd Says Artifacts Yale Holds Belong to Peru

Sen. Christopher Dodd says Inca artifacts that were removed from Machu Picchu almost a century ago and held by Yale University belong to the people of Peru.

Dodd recently went to the South American nation to meet with foreign leaders, including President Alan Garcia, and discuss U.S relations and the global economic crisis. He said on Wednesday that he will work with Yale and Peru to resolve their dispute amicably "and return the artifacts to their rightful owners."

Yale officials say the university has been discussing the issue with Dodd's office and is glad to continue.

Peru has a lawsuit pending in federal court in Connecticut demanding Yale return artifacts taken by a scholar between 1911 and 1915. Yale says it returned dozens of boxes of artifacts in 1921 and that Peru knew it would retain some.

Hiram Bingham III discovered the artifacts nearly 100 years ago and they have been housed at Yale’s Peabody Museum.
The Machu Picchu ruins are Peru's main tourist attraction.

“For years, I have worked with Yale and Peru to seek a solution to this disagreement over the artifacts discovered at Machu Picchu, and housed at the Peabody Museum in New Haven,” Dodd said. “The Machu Picchu artifacts do not belong to any government, to any institution, or to any university. They belong to the people of Peru. I plan to work with both parties to resolve this dispute quickly, amicably, and return the artifacts to their rightful owners.”
.

Copyright AP - Associated Press
Contact Us