Peru has halted an online auction organized by a Canadian company that had offered 20 archaeological pieces from the pre-Hispanic Chancay culture, the foreign ministry said on Saturday.
“The Embassy of Peru in Canada and the Consulate General in Toronto have joined forces to close a virtual auction of twenty Chancay-style pre-Hispanic cultural objects that are part of Peru’s cultural heritage,” the statement said.
“Toronto-based Canadian auction house Waddington’s offers items identified by the Department of Culture on its website + The Saleroom +,” the ministry adds.
Among the items for sale was a seed necklace.
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs has said it is taking the necessary measures to ensure these pieces are returned to Peru.
The Chancay civilization developed between 1200 and 1470 in the valleys of Fortaleza, Pativilca, Supe, Huaura, Chancay, Chillon, Rímac y Lurin on the central coast of Peru.
Peru and Canada are signatories to the UNESCO Convention signed in Paris in 1970, which promotes the global fight against the illegal trade in cultural goods.