PERU: Golden pre-Inca headdress stolen 20 years ago is returnedto Peru by British authorities

Record ID: 243546

  • Title: PERU: Golden pre-Inca headdress stolen 20 years ago is returnedto Peru by British authorities
  • Date: 23rd September 2006
  • Summary: LIMA, PERU (SEPTEMBER 15, 2006) (REUTERS) EXTERIOR OF MINISTRY OF FOREIGN AFFAIRS MOCHE MASK BEING ACCOMPANIED BY SECURITY PERSONNEL CLOSE UPS MASK PERUVIAN FOREIGN MINISTER JOSE GARCIA BELAUNDE ENTERING ROOM JOURNALISTS CECILIA BACULA, DIRECTOR OF THE NATIONAL INSTITUTE OF CULTURE, SIGNING A DOCUMENT ON THE OFFICIAL HANDING OVER OF THE MASK JOURNALISTS PERUVIAN FOREIGN MINISTER JOSE GARCIA BELAUNDE SIGNING THE DOCUMENT
  • Embargoed: 8th October 2006 13:00
  • Keywords:
  • Location: Peru
  • Country: Peru
  • Topics: Arts / Culture / Entertainment / Showbiz
  • Reuters ID: LVABGX0CIUX7207FE0Z93LDQ8HZ8
  • Story Text: A priceless ancient Peruvian head-dress which had been stolen by looters almost 20 years ago was returned to its homeland on Friday (September 15), after having been recovered by British police in London.
    The headdress, depicting an image of a sea god, was recovered from a lawyers' office in central London and is considered to be of phenomenal importance to Peruvian cultural heritage.
    The mask was officially handed over to Peru at a ceremony attended by the country's Foreign Minister Jose Garcia Belaunde, and Cecilia Bacula, Director of Peru's National Institute of Culture.
    Speaking at the ceremony, Garcia Belaunde paid tribute to the British authorities who played a crucial role in the recovery of this valuable piece.
    "The repatriation procedure that was carried out and that today culminates constitutes an important landmark in the international fight against the trafficking of cultural goods where the will and efficacy of the British government authorities, who we particularly thank, came together," he said.
    The artifact, made of gold, symbolizes a mythical octopus with eight tentacles and a stylized human head displaying cat-like features. It is thought to date from about 700 AD and to be an example of ancient Peruvian Mochica civilization art.
    According to archaeologist and expert on the Mochica culture Walter Alba, the piece is of huge cultural and symbolic importance.
    "Today this ornament which has an extraordinary cultural, artistic importance and above all represents a symbol of our ancient governments, is returning to Peru and being incorporated again. It has to be said, it's the crown of an ancient Peruvian king," he said.
    The head-dress was taken from the La Mina archaeological site in the Jequetepeque valley in north Peru in 1988 when a tomb was looted and its contents put on the black market.
    An undercover agent saw the piece when he made contact with a renowned collector, and arranged for it to be transported to London where Scotland Yard detectives were on hand to recover it.
  • Copyright Holder: REUTERS
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