Peru authorities crack down on smuggling of antiquities, return ancient Mesopotamian clay tablets to Iraq

Peruvian authorities and the Andean country’s National Culture Institute, INC, have been leading a campaign to stamp out the trade in antiquities illegally smuggled from Peru, reporting the seizure of more than 1,200 cultural and national heritage artifacts in 2008. “Last year, we stopped 1,235 cultural objects from being smuggled out of Peru,” said the [...]

Pre-Inca religious complex confirmed in northern Peru

Authorities in northern Peru have confirmed the finding of a religious complex from the pre-Inca Vicús culture, known for producing unique ceramic and gold work from 100 BC to AD 400. With an area of 3,500 square-meters, the site was initially uncovered by construction workers on Jan. 22. Archaeologists from the National Culture Institute, INC, [...]