LOS ANGELES (US), April 26 (NNN-ANDINA) — The Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), the principal investigative arm of the United States Department of Homeland Security, has returned two quipus and several sculptures belonging to the Peruvian cultural heritage to the Consul General of Peru in Los Angeles, Jose Luis Chavez Gonzales, during a ceremony held by the South American country’s diplomatic mission based in the Californian city.
According to the US Embassy in Peru, the two quipus are made of finely spun and braided camelid fibers in light and dark brown, red, black, cream, and beige.
These two quipus are estimated to be from the post-Inca era, between 1750 and 1950, and from the central highlands of Peru. The HSI seized both Peruvian quipus from a private art gallery in March 2021, after an expert authenticated their origin.
Moreover, HSI Los Angeles seized several Peruvian sculptures as part of a long-closed investigation.
Consul Chavez thanked the HSI for its collaboration in recovering part of Peru’s cultural heritage, which is of incalculable value for Peruvians.
The restitution of these pieces is the result of the close collaboration between the United States and Peru, within the framework of the agreement for the protection of cultural heritage that was renewed in 2022, which has been in force for more than 25 years.
To date, more than 2,000 objects belonging to the Peruvian cultural heritage have been returned thanks to this agreement.
“The return in Los Angeles is part of our ongoing efforts to recover and return cultural property to Peru,” the diplomatic mission said in a press release.
“The ancient and historic monuments, objects, and archaeological sites of the world enrich and inform today’s societies, and help connect us to our cultural origins,” it added.
The Embassy stated that the United States Government is committed to combating the theft and trafficking of cultural heritage, as well as preserving and protecting it wherever it is found, and ensuring they are secure and available to future generations. — NNN-ANDINA
