Turkey returns ancient necklace belonging to Moche civilization to Peru
Turkey has crowned its fight against cultural property smuggling with another example. A historical necklace belonging to the Moche culture, one of the ancient Peruvian civilizations, has been returned to Peru in an official ceremony.
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According to a statement from the Ministry of Culture and Tourism, Turkey has completed another exemplary process in the fight against cultural property smuggling by handing over a necklace belonging to the Moche civilization, which lived on the northern coasts of Peru in ancient times, to Peru in an official ceremony.
The ceremony at the Museum of Anatolian Civilizations was attended by Deputy Minister of Culture and Tourism Gökhan Yazgı and Peru's Ambassador to Ankara, Cesar Augusto De Las Casas Diaz.
In his speech at the ceremony, Yazgı emphasized that Turkey and Peru are fighting against common threats regarding cultural property smuggling, stating, "This artifact is not just a piece of jewelry; it is the memory of a civilization. Returning it to the lands where it belongs is a meaningful step taken toward repairing the common memory of humanity."
Yazgı stated that the restitution process, carried out within the framework of the 1970 UNESCO Convention, strengthens cultural cooperation between the two countries.
Peruvian Ambassador De Las Casas Diaz thanked Turkey for the rapid and effective cooperation shown, assessing that, "The return of this necklace is not only an official procedure but also a powerful expression of friendship and cultural understanding."
The Ambassador emphasized that the Moche culture is an inseparable part of Peru's identity and national pride.
COINCIDED WITH THE 75TH ANNIVERSARY OF PERU-TURKEY RELATIONS
It was learned that the returned necklace was brought from Peru by a citizen of the Republic of Turkey in the 1960s and that the individual applied to the authorities in 2021, requesting an investigation into its authenticity.
As a result of scientific examinations conducted by experts from the Peruvian Ministry of Culture, it was determined that the artifact belonged to the Moche culture.
The citizen who held the artifact voluntarily initiated the return process after learning that the necklace was under protection in Peru.
The necklace was delivered to the Museum of Anatolian Civilizations on January 23, 2025, and placed under protection.
The fact that the restitution process coincided with the 75th anniversary of diplomatic relations between Peru and Turkey also gave this cooperation a symbolic meaning.