On 22 July 2021, at 11:00 am, at the “La Marmora” Barracks in Via Anicia 24 in Rome, Brigadier General Roberto Riccardi, Commander of the Carabinieri for the Protection of Cultural Heritage, returned Julio Eduardo Martinetti Macedo to SE , Ambassador of Peru in Rome, four cultural assets belonging to the Peruvian Republic.
A pre-Hispanic style ceramic cantaro and olla from the cultures of the northern and central coasts of Peru (1000 – 1476 AD)
The investigation that allowed the recovery of the cantaro and the ceramic olla was conducted by the Carabinieri of the TPC Unit of Rome, coordinated by the Capitoline Public Prosecutor's Office, who, following an anonymous report, seized 19 finds of presumable interest historical-archaeological, dating back to pre-Columbian and/or pre-Hispanic civilisations. The goods were kept in the premises of a Roman convent.
With the collaboration of the officials of the “Luigi Pigorini” Prehistoric Ethnographic Museum of Rome and, subsequently, of the archaeologists of the Peruvian General Directorate of Defense of the Cultural Heritage of the Ministry of Culture, it was ascertained that, of the 19 archaeological finds seized, only two were indisputably authentic and attributable to the "late intermediate" period (1000 AD - 1476 AD), coming from the cultures of the northern and central coasts of Peru.
Officials of the Peruvian Ministry of Culture requested the return of the two archaeological assets as they pertain to the cultural heritage of the state.
On 24 October 2019, the relevant decree of release from seizure and return of the two authentic assets to the Peruvian authorities was issued, while the remaining 17, considered non-authentic, were entrusted to the “Luigi Pigorini” Prehistoric Ethnographic Museum in Rome.
Amphora with an ogival edge, pre-Columbian style, coming from the “Pativilca” culture, dating back to between 200 and 900 AD
In December 2017, the Carabinieri of the TPC Unit of Cagliari, together with colleagues from the Compagnia di Tonara (NU), in the context of targeted activities to combat clandestine excavations committed in the archaeological areas of the Sardinian territory and the illicit trade of archaeological finds, executed a search decree, issued by the Public Prosecutor's Office of Oristano, as part of a criminal proceeding against a person from the province of Nuoro. On this occasion, around a hundred archaeological finds belonging to different civilizations were seized, including a Peruvian amphora of pre-Columbian style from the Pativilca culture, dating back to between 200 AD and 900 AD
Subsequent investigations, also carried out in agreement with the Peruvian Ministry of Culture, confirmed the authenticity of the archaeological find, the return of which the State, through the diplomatic representation, requested.
The Judicial Authority therefore ordered the release from seizure and the return of the property to the Embassy of the Republic of Peru in Rome.
Clay amphora, with two ribbon handles, globular body, high hemispherical neck and flat bottom belonging to the Chancay Culture (1000-1300 AD) of the central coast of Peru
In February 2015, a clay amphora was identified and seized by the Carabinieri of the TPC Unit of Palermo following a search of a suspect as part of the operation conventionally called "DEMETRA”, aimed at identifying a criminal association dedicated to the illicit international trafficking of archaeological goods originating from clandestine excavations in Sicily. The investigation was coordinated by the Public Prosecutor's Office - DDA of Caltanissetta with the decisive support of EUROJUST and EUROPOL.
The technical tests carried out by the staff of the “Luigi Pigorini” National Prehistoric and Ethnographic Museum in Rome have attested its authenticity and traceability to the Chancay culture (1000-1300 AD) of the central coast of Peru.
On November 25, 2015, theexpertise to the Peruvian Ministry of Culture, received on 11 May 2016 with relative claim by the South American state.
In November 2019, the Public Prosecutor's Office requested and obtained theexpertise on the property and the formal claim by the Peruvian authorities, thus arranging for its release and restitution in favor of the Peruvian diplomatic representation.
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