Machu Picchu - Yale - Peruvian Governmental Palace

In 1911, Yale Archeologist Hiram Bingham re-discovered the Inca City that has come to be known as Machu Picchu.  All the artifacts that were found were technically on loan from the Peruvian Government for a few months but Yale decided to keep for about 90 years or so.

Peru's current out-going President, Alan Garcia, personally contacted President Obama to have the artifacts returned.  Eventually, an agreement was reached and all the cultural treasures will be returned to Peru in a series of shipments until 2012.  The artifacts will be held by a University in Cusco who, along with Yale, will open a new museum in Cusco to display the cultural riches.

This is BIG news in Peru.  SO BIG, that the first shipment of artifacts received from Yale on March 30th were displayed in the Governmental Palace for free to mark 100 years since the "discovery" of Machu Picchu - originally set to be open for one week it was extended to two weeks.  As a current Yalie, I could not afford to miss such an experience.  To avoid the crowds, I decided to play hookie from work and went in the afternoon mid-week ;) Not to worry, I worked the night shift and still got my sample size! Whoop!

As my new Peruvian friends like to remind me, Peruvians are ecstatic that they have received their cultural treasures and made Yale honor their initial agreement.  When negotiations were still on-going with Yale, there were banners along every bridge crossed by El Metropolitano like the one below.

Translation: YALE - return the goods of Machu Picchu!  Viva el Peru!!!

SO, what did I find....  An amazing Governmental Palace and some pretty cool pieces.
Check it out:

City Center of Lima on the way to the Palace

Square in front of the Governmental Palace

Benjamin representing Yale in front of the banner - Whoop!

 Banner outside the
Govermental Palace reads:
Center Top:
"The archeological treasures of Machu Picchu"

Bottom - as you read it:
"Governmental Palace"
"Free entry"

Exhibit Hall Continued

Exhibit inside the Governmental Palace

National Geographic pics from "the dig"

Cool pic from the Gov't Palace

Former resident of Machu Picchu

 

Pottery!

More Pottery!

 They had an array of tools, metal working, ceramics and pottery....with some more pottery.  I just tried to show some of what I thought were the highlights. Not all that mind-boggling interesting unless your an archeologist ;)

Interested in reading more? Check out this article in USA today:
http://www.usatoday.com/news/world/2010-11-19-inca-artifacts-yale-university_N.htm

Just about reached my sample size which represents the end of my initial research in Lima.
Next, preparing for the Cusco portion of the trip....lots to do and lots more to follow....Whoop!