The legal battle over artifacts removed from Machu Picchu by Hiram Bingham III between 1911 and 1915 continues between Peru and Yale University. Yale claims that the statute of limitations under Connecticut law is three years. Yet, Peru’s attorneys argue that “Yale’s mere retention of the artifacts establishes nothing,” and that Peru never relinquished ownership of the artifacts.

Boston University archaeologist Kathryn Bard and Italian archaeologist Rodolfo Fattovich have been excavating seagoing ships at Egypt’s Wadi Gawasis since 2004. Last month, they opened an eighth chamber, where they expect to find ship parts, jugs, trenchers, linens, and records. The ships were probably built on the Nile, disassembled, and transported by donkey to Wadi Gawasis, where they were reassembled and sent to Punt to trade for luxury goods.  

A shipwreck is emerging from the quickly eroding sands of Washaway Beach, Washington. It may be a freighter that broke in two in August 1921, while carrying lumber and other cargo.  

Wine presses were carved out of the rock of Malta’s Gozitan Valley in 500 B.C.  

Coins and other artifacts were uncovered near the Egyptian border town of Rafah by the Palestinian Authority.  

Here’s more information from Iran on the pieces of the Cyrus Cylinder that turned up in the British Museum.

This entry was posted by Jessica E. Saraceni on Tuesday, January 12, 2010. Discussion of this blog entry is now closed.

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