Latest news with #Chimú
Miami Herald
2 days ago
- Miami Herald
Surprise raid recovers priceless ancient artifacts being sold at Peru market
Peru officials, with the help of archaeologists, seized numerous priceless artifacts from a bustling market before they could be sold. Eight cultural artifacts, including six ceramic jugs and two bottles, were recovered in a surprise operation at the Chiclayo Model Market in the Lambayeque, according to a June 11 news release from Peru's Ministry of Culture. Officials said they believe the pieces belong to the ancient pre-Hispanic Lambayeque, Chimú, and Chancay cultures. The Lambayeque Department of Civil Protection were tipped off about the alleged sale of cultural property at various stalls at the market, officials said. Two people were detained and placed in police custody for further investigation, officials said. Crimes against Peru's cultural heritage, such as the commercialization of pre-Hispanic cultural assets, are punishable by imprisonment of no less than three and no more than eight years, according to officials. Chiclayo is about a 475-mile drive northwest from Lima. Google Translate was used to translate the news release from Peru's Ministry of Culture.
Yahoo
13-05-2025
- Yahoo
Outrage after Unesco World Heritage Site defaced with obscene graffiti
A vandal has daubed an image of a penis on a wall at a centuries-old Peruvian city recognised by Unesco as a World Heritage Site. The man was filmed while spraying the graffiti on one of the original walls of Chan Chan, a pre-Columbian city 500km (300 miles) north of Lima that is visited by thousands of people a month. Peru's ministry of culture said the culprit showed "a grave disrespect toward our history and cultural heritage, as well as a violation of the regulations that protect archaeological heritage sites". Some Peruvians questioned how he was able to damage the wall unchallenged, while others said they were disappointed that the site was not better protected. The video of the incident was widely shared on social media. The culprit could face up to six years in prison if caught. Chan Chan was the capital of the Chimú kingdom before it fell to the Incas in the 15th century and it remains one of Peru's most important archaeological sites. Unesco describes it as the largest city in pre-Columbian America, stretching for miles and divided into several "citadels" by thick walls. The spray paint attack comes just months after a man chipped the 12-Angle Stone, a famous Incan artefact in the city of Cusco. More tourists allowed to visit Machu Picchu
