Ancient Peruvian artefacts seized

BBC News ^ | Sept. 24, 2005 | Simon Watts

[FairOpinion]

Customs officials in Florida have seized more than 300 ancient Peruvian artefacts smuggled into the US.

The artefacts include a clay vessel thought to be 3,500 years old.

The operation was one of the largest of its kind and was launched after officers received a tip-off. One person has been arrested.

This pre-Columbian collection will now be returned to Peru, but customs officers say many other artefacts have not been found.

Transit point

The 322 objects recovered in Florida include decorated pottery, burial shrouds and gold jewellery - all dating from civilisations which flourished hundreds of years before the arrival of the Spanish conquerors.

The objects were probably looted from Peruvian sites and museums The officer in charge of the investigation said the items were the thread of a nation rich in cultural heritage, not souvenirs to be bought and sold.

Unfortunately, that is exactly what these professional smugglers were hoping to do.

Private US collectors are willing to pay thousands of dollars for stolen cultural treasures.

Customs officers say these objects were probably looted from poorly guarded sites and museums in Peru, before they ended up in the hands of the gang.

The officers think that because of its proximity to Latin America, south Florida has become a major transit point for the trade in stolen artefacts.

[FairOpinion]

The artefacts date from before the arrival of the Spanish conquerors

The objects were probably looted from Peruvian sites and museums

[FairOpinion]

GGG PING

"Customs officials in Florida have seized more than 300 ancient Peruvian artefacts smuggled into the US.

The artefacts include a clay vessel thought to be 3,500 years old. "

[RightWhale]

Close one. For a minute I thought they might have arrested Hernando de Soto.

[Yellow Rose of Texas]

Thanks for the pings. I love reading these.

[humblegunner]

Customs officials in Florida have seized more than 300 ancient Peruvian artefacts smuggled into the US.

Artifacts worldwide tremble at the spelling, developing.

Artificial persons silent, said to be gloating.

[Adiemus]

Interesting. I'm going to print the article and give it to my Archeology Professor. Thanks!

[JimSEA]

The Smithsonian and The Field Museum are wonderful places and I have spend hours in amazement at their collections. However, I would argue for the maintenance of must artifacts in museum settings adjacent to where they were found. Seeing them in the context of the environment and architecture which generated them is, to me, invaluable. Traveling shows like the Pompeii exhibit which is coming might be the best way to do things rather than permanent collections which often means "kept out of sight in boxes". Locking things away in private collections away from any study troubles me even more for the information that is lost. I understand the strictures of private property but would make some conditions for the study of ancient goods such as those referenced in this article (understanding that they were being smuggled for private collectors).

[FairOpinion]

Here is another interesting article you may want to get your archeology professor's opinion on:


600 barrels of loot found on Crusoe island

http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1491247/posts

"A long quest for booty from the Spanish colonial era appears to be culminating in Chile with the announcement by a group of adventurers that they have found an estimated 600 barrels of gold coins and Incan jewels on the remote Pacific island."


Also, if you are interested in archeology and would like to be pinged when such articles are posted, let me or SunkenCiv know. He manages the ping list, I chip in occasionally, when he takes time away from the board occasionally. A lot of interesting stuff. You can also browse the previously posted articles by keywords: GGG or godsgravesglyphs

[FairOpinion]

Both artifact and artefact are acceptable spellings.

Main Entry: ar·te·fact
chiefly British variant of ARTIFACT

Main Entry: ar·ti·fact
Pronunciation: 'är-ti-"fakt
Function: noun
Etymology: Latin arte by skill (ablative of art-, ars skill) + factum, neuter of factus, past participle of facere to do -- more at ARM, DO
1 a : something created by humans usually for a practical purpose; especially : an object remaining from a particular period
b : something characteristic of or resulting from a human institution or activity
2 : a product of artificial character (as in a scientific test) due usually to extraneous (as human) agency - ar·ti·fac·tu·al /"är-ti-'fak-ch&(-w&)l, -'fak-shw&l/ adjective

====

Archeology is also spelled that way or as archaeology

Main Entry: ar·chae·ol·o·gy
Variant(s): or ar·che·ol·o·gy /"är-kE-'ä-l&-jE/
Function: noun
Etymology: French archéologie, from Late Latin archaeologia antiquarian lore, from Greek archaiologia, from archaio- + -logia -logy
1 : the scientific study of material remains (as fossil relics, artifacts, and monuments) of past human life and activities
2 : remains of the culture of a people : ANTIQUITIES

[SunkenCiv]

Thanks go to FairOpinion for ably executing the ping duties.

To all -- please ping me to other topics which are appropriate for the GGG list. Thanks.

Please FREEPMAIL me if you want on or off the
"Gods, Graves, Glyphs" PING list or GGG weekly digest
-- Archaeology/Anthropology/Ancient Cultures/Artifacts/Antiquities, etc.
Gods, Graves, Glyphs (alpha order)

[SunkenCiv]

Hey, at least the artefacts recovered by the archeologists weren't made of aluminium.

:')