For almost 100 years, thousands of Incan relics have been in Yale University's hands. The latest item from Peru to the New Haven Ivy League institution is a lawsuit.
Explorer Hiram Bingham shipped thousands of ceramics, textiles and bones to Yale after rediscovering Machu Picchu in 1911. The mountaintop ruins are Peru's main tourist attraction. Peru is now suing Yale University to recover the relics.
Peru sought to reclaim the artifacts in 2006, but an agreement to share them stalled last year.
Yale representatives met Peru's foreign minister in September, but failed to reach a deal. Peru officials said Yale has more than 40,000 Machu Picchu artifacts.
The lawsuit was filed Dec. 5 in a federal court in Washington, D.C. and claims the artifacts are central to the history and heritage of Peru. The court document also says that Yale is wrongfully, improperly and fraudulently detaining the items.
