Gold, ceramics, a funerary mask, and even an Inca quipu: 201 valuable cultural artifacts are returning to Peru! The pieces were in the USA for decades. Now, the Spurlock Museum of the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign is voluntarily returning the entire collection to Peru. It is the largest repatriation in the museum's history.
For Peru, this is an extraordinary return. The 201 objects originate from different eras and regions of the country. Among them are pieces from the Nasca, Moche, Lambayeque, and Inca cultures. The handover took place at the Spurlock Museum of World Cultures in the US state of Illinois. Representatives from Peru, the museum, and the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign participated in the event.
Gold cup, funerary mask, and Inca quipu!
Among the returned cultural artifacts is a gold cup in the Lambayeque style. The Lambayeque or Sicán culture in northern Peru was known for its exceptional metalwork. Those wishing to learn more about this culture can find one of its most significant archaeological centers at PeruMagazin with the Pyramids of Túcume.
Also returned are two ceramic bottles in the Moche style. The significance of the Moche culture for northern Peru is especially highlighted by Huaca Rajada–Sipán, the site of the famous unlooted burial site of the Lord of Sipán.
Among the returned pieces is also a ceramic pitcher of the Nasca tradition. The Nasca are among the best-known pre-Inca cultures of Peru. Their most famous legacy today is the Nazca Lines in the desert of southern Peru.
But that's not all: among the 201 objects is a funerary mask. Another special piece is an Inca-style quipu. The system, consisting of cords and knots, was used in the Inca Empire to store and manage information. More about this era can be found at PeruMagazin under History of Peru.
Largest repatriation ever
For the Spurlock Museum of World Cultures, the action is historic. Museum Director Elizabeth A. Sutton explained that this is the largest repatriation of cultural artifacts in the museum's history. The restitution is also intended to serve as an example for further returns to countries of origin.
The handover was voluntary. Involved were the museum, the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, the Peruvian Consulate General in Chicago, and Peruvian authorities. Peru's Consul General in Chicago, Verónika Bustamante, thanked the museum and the university for the return and for their care of the objects during their time in the collection.
But how did Peru's treasures get to the USA in the first place?
This very question is complicated for many archaeological collections. Peruvian cultural goods reached museums, private collections, and the international art trade over decades. Not every object has the same story. Some were exported during times when international protection mechanisms were much weaker. Other archaeological items arrived abroad via dealers and collectors.
Objects from illegal excavations are particularly problematic. This is because not only does an item disappear from Peru, but archaeologists also lose information about where an object was located, what items were next to it, and from which historical layer it originated. A beautiful museum piece may be preserved, while an important part of its history is permanently lost.
The 201 treasures must first be made ready for travel
Simply closing a box and putting it on a plane does not work with centuries-old cultural artifacts. The 201 objects are being specially prepared for transport according to the technical specifications of the Peruvian Ministry of Culture. Ceramics, metal, and other archaeological materials must be protected against vibrations, moisture, and other stressors.
Only after this preparation does the actual journey to Peru begin. Professional packaging is crucial so that the sometimes fragile items survive international transport without damage.
Peru is bringing back thousands of cultural artifacts
The 201 pieces from Illinois are only part of a much larger retrieval campaign. According to UNESCO, Peru has retrieved more than 10,000 cultural artifacts between 2015 and 2023. During the same period, the country issued nearly 1,000 international repatriation requests.
This makes Peru one of the countries in Latin America that is particularly intensely trying to reclaim its cultural heritage from foreign collections. This involves both voluntary restitutions, as in the case of the Spurlock Museum, and cases where Peruvian authorities themselves demand the return of objects.
What happens to the treasures now?
After their arrival, the objects will not simply disappear into storage. They can be used for research, education, and the communication of Peruvian cultural heritage. The mix of the 201 pieces makes the collection particularly interesting, as the Nasca, Moche, Lambayeque, and Inca represent different times, regions, and cultural developments in Peru.
Those who want to see this cultural history through real archaeological sites will find numerous excavation sites and facilities from various eras in the PeruMagazin overview Regions, Places and Sights in Peru.
Researchers can study ceramic techniques, metalworking, materials, and production processes. At the same time, individual pieces can provide new clues about their origin. Whether and when all 201 objects will be exhibited publicly is not yet known.
200 years of Peru and the USA – and now the treasures are returning
The timing has additional significance. In 2026, Peru and the United States commemorate 200 years of diplomatic relations. In this very anniversary year, 201 testaments to Peruvian history are returning to Peru from a US museum collection.
The handover in Illinois has already taken place. Now the cultural artifacts must be professionally packed and transported to Peru. Then, the gold cup, ceramics, funerary mask, and Inca quipu will be back in the country from whose cultural history they originate.
Facts and figures
Quantity: 201 cultural artifacts
Former location: Spurlock Museum of World Cultures
University: University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign
Location of handover: Illinois, USA
Type of return: voluntary restitution
Special feature: largest return in the museum's history
Cultures: including Nasca, Moche, Lambayeque, and Inca
Special pieces: gold cup, funerary mask, ceramic bottles, Nasca pitcher, and Inca quipu
Peru 2015–2023: more than 10,000 cultural artifacts retrieved according to UNESCO
International requests: nearly 1,000 in the period from 2015 to 2023
Ministerio de Relaciones Exteriores del Perú, September 2026
Agencia Andina, September 15, 2026
Spurlock Museum of World Cultures, University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign
UNESCO, 2026
Image source: Agencia Andina / Difusión
