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The government of Peru has presented Yale University’s President with its highest civilian award. The honor was bestowed in recognition of an agreement ending a nearly century-long dispute over ancient artifacts from the Incan site of Machu Picchu.
In a ceremony at the Peruvian Embassy in Washington, DC on Thursday, Yale President Richard Levin was awarded the Order of “The Sun of Peru” in the Grade of “Great Cross”.
The event celebrated an end to a long and bitter custody battle over antiquities taken from Peru by Yale explorer Hiram Bingham 100 years ago. Peru filed a lawsuit in 2008 to get the objects back. Last November, the Peruvian government launched a global media campaign to focus attention on the dispute. Thousands of protestors marched in Lima. A few weeks later, Yale announced that it would return the collection.
In his remarks at the event, Peruvian Ambassador to the US Harold Forsyth said the return of the artifacts will strengthen the cultural identity of Peru and the self-esteem of its people.
The objects - ceramics, jewelry and human bones - are to be housed at the International Center for the Study of Machu Pichu and Inca Culture, operated collaboratively by Yale and the University in Cusco. There will be ongoing research which will include an exchange of students and faculty. The Center is set to open on October 6th.
