Peru Files Suit Against Yale

Recently, Derek Fincham blogged about the renewed possibility that Peru would file suit against Yale over artifacts long held in Yale's collection from archaeological digs conducted by Hiram Bingham almost a century ago: http://illicit-cultural-property.blogspot.com/2008/11/peru-to-lawyer-up.html Bingham's digs at Machu Picchu made him world famous and he later became a US Senator. See: http://www.senate.gov/artandhistory/history/common/generic/Featured_Bio_Bingham.htm

That possibility has come to pass. On December 5, 2008, DLA Piper LLP filed suit on behalf of Peru against Yale. The Complaint can be accessed here, but only through subscription to the Court's Pacer system: http://dockets.justia.com/docket/court-dcdce/case_no-1:2008cv02109/case_id-134251/

The lengthy Complaint recounts how the artifacts came to and were retained by Yale from Peru's perspective. Of course, Yale will be given an opportunity to respond when it answers the Complaint or files a motion to dismiss.