Comment on DOS-2011-0136-0002

Madame Chairperson and Members of the Committee, I am writing to express my support for the extension of the bilateral agreement between the United States and the Republic of Peru, which will be considered at the January 18th public meeting of the Cultural Property Advisory Committee. As an archaeologist and concerned citizen, I am troubled that authentic Peruvian artifacts, including pre-Columbian pottery looted from archaeological sites and 18th century religious objects stolen from colonial-period churches, are being sold in online auction houses despite the import restrictions in place. Interception and seizure by U.S. Customs Enforcement officials in the past five years are evidence of the continued need for—and effectiveness of—protective measures. With the assistance of the U.S. Ambassadors Fund for Cultural Preservation, security, public access, and conservation continues to improve in Peruvian museums. Artifacts that have been subject to long-term loan to U.S. museums are now being repatriated as climate-controlled facilities to properly conserve and analyze them are expanding. Peru has also demonstrated its commitment to sharing its rich past with the world in a growing emphasis on exchanges between museums. Peruvian objects have been loaned for international display, with exhibitions in South Korea in 2009 and Paris in 2010. Ancient Peruvians produced a rich cultural heritage that merits preservation for future generations. I urge the committee to recommend the extension of the Memorandum of Understanding between the government of the United States of America and the government of the Republic of Peru concerning the imposition of import restrictions on archaeological material from pre-Hispanic cultures and certain ethnological material from the colonial period of Peru. Respectfully yours, Polly A. Peterson