Switzerland returns pre-Columbian treasures to Peru
The pre-Columbian treasures consisted of 24 ceramic objects and 24 wooden figurines, which had been discovered by the Federal Customs Administration at a client’s premises at the Geneva free port during an inspection in 2016.
Keystone / Martial Trezzini
Switzerland has returned 48 pre-Columbian artefacts of ‘inestimable’ value to Peru that had been discovered at the Geneva free port facility.
The pre-Columbian treasures consisted of 24 ceramic objects and 24 wooden figurines, which had been discovered by the Federal Customs Administration at a client’s premises at the Geneva free port during an inspection in 2016.
The objects had been described in the owner’s inventory as personal wooden objects.
Tests confirmed that they were pre-Columbian objects from the Chancay civilization from the coastal region of Peru, dating between 1200-1470AD.
Such objects feature on the red list of endangered Peruvian antiques established by the International Council of Museums (ICOM).External link They are protected by national legislation and international agreements and are vulnerable to illicit trafficking.
Alerted by the Federal Customs Administration, the Geneva Office of the Attorney General had opened an investigation and ordered the seizure of the items. A court decision for their return has now come into force.
Train vs plane: would you take a direct train between London and Geneva?
Eurostar is planning to run direct trains from Britain to Germany and Switzerland from the early 2030s. Would you favour the train over the plane? If not, why not?
Legal action filed against Swiss purchase of Israeli drones
This content was published on
Legal action aims to put an end to the delivery of the six Elbit reconnaissance drones already plagued by delays and setbacks.
Higher direct payments fail to curb scrub encroachment on alpine pastures
This content was published on
The scrub encroachment on Swiss alpine pastures leads to the loss of grassland and damages the typical landscape. It is also responsible for the decline in biodiversity. Despite higher direct payments, the bushes continue to spread.
Head of Swiss financial regulator’s Banks division quits
This content was published on
Thomas Hirschi, head of the Banks division of the Swiss Financial Market Supervisory Authority FINMA will leave at the end of August.
Swiss population satisfied with life according to survey
This content was published on
In a survey, the population of German-speaking and French-speaking Switzerland expressed general satisfaction with their lives. Respondents were less happy with politics and their personal finances, according to the online comparison service Moneyland.
WHO ‘extremely concerned’ about growing vaccination scepticism
This content was published on
According to the World Health Organisation (WHO), vaccination scepticism and a collapse in funding for vaccination campaigns pose a major threat to the health of the world's population.
High-net-worth individuals prioritise well-being over material possessions
This content was published on
The priorities of wealthy private individuals have shifted against the backdrop of ongoing geopolitical tensions and trade disputes. While spending on luxury goods is declining, demand for travel and experiences is unabated.
Swiss researchers sequence genome of 1918 Spanish flu virus
This content was published on
Researchers from the Universities of Basel and Zurich (UZH) have sequenced the genome of the Spanish flu virus, thanks to a sample taken from an 18-year-old Swiss boy who died in the city on the Limmat in 1918, when the pandemic spread around the world.
Can the art market regulate itself against illicit activity?
This content was published on
A group of Geneva-based art dealers and specialists are trying to raise awareness about business risks and to repair the sector’s damaged reputation.
Experts help Geneva free port crack down on stolen loot
This content was published on
“We cannot wait for the Swiss customs to deploy sufficient people to carry out checks on artefacts stored here. It’s too risky, so we are introducing our own measures,” David Hiler, president of Geneva Free Port, told reporters on Wednesday. From summer, anyone wanting to store ancient artefacts in the sprawling warehouse facility in southwest Geneva…
You can find an overview of ongoing debates with our journalists here . Please join us!
If you want to start a conversation about a topic raised in this article or want to report factual errors, email us at english@swissinfo.ch.