My reasoning is that those are Inca treasures and part of the heritage of the Peruvian descendants of those Incas. I don't believe wanting treasures that belonged to your ancestors is whining. I don't know the circumstances under which these treasures were given away or sold, but given the history of most of latin america there was probably a lot of corruption involved and I suspect whoever bought them for Yale was aware of it. I don't doubt that legally they belong to Yale, but I think Yale would be well served by giving them back. Further, would no the treasures have a lot more value in a museum at Machu Pichu where they could be viewed in the context of the ruins?
Given the history of South America, how long would those artifacts remain on display? We are talking about a culture steeped in corruption, after all.
As far as ". I don't doubt that legally they belong to Yale, but I think Yale would be well served by giving them back." I can only to Liberals would there be any "social justice value" in such a give away.
Giving artifacts to the non-Western is like giving Kennowick Man back to the American Indians. Except that the Indians are of a gene pool that arrived only some 6,000 years ago, whereas Kennowick Man was almost 10,000 years old.
Come to think of it, the Goron tried to force giving Kennowick Man back and the scientific world sued and won.
Let 'em find their own artifacts. Meanwhile, let 'em whine to the Goron.