Hiram Bingham, a North American explorer, or a modern day thief? My family who are locals of the Peruvian Andes, share their knowledge of the American discovery of this ancient city. Explorers for years have been trying to find this city to no avail. The altitude is high, transportation is minimal, and the city is more than a myth than reality. Come Hiram Bingham, with his ultimate goal to find the treasures buried deep in this unknown city, with his team or archeologists financed by one of the wealthiest institutions in North America. They ask the indigenous locals of this city but the secret is well kept, as the locals are reluctant to give information knowing the westerners have a hidden agenda. It was a young campesino, or land dweller, that for the mere price that adds up to $10 in their times, agrees to show Bingham and his crew this lost ancient city. Once the city is discovered, Bingham and his crew loot the city for its riches including the precious gold that has been hidden for years. Small pay offs to government officials allows for the treasures to be smuggled into the US without Bingham and his crew being caught. An ancient city that has always been known to the locals, is now claimed to being found by an American explorer. Items stolen from the ancient city are never to be found, yet Hiram Bingham is credited for the discovery of a city that has well been discovered before him and occupied by the indigenous. Now it is a Disneyland, deemed one of the seven wonders of the world, with the Mickey Mouse ears as hats being replaced by the peruvian beanie, or chullo. Hiram Bingham is considered to be like Christopher Columbus, somebody who stole from the indigenous, but is credited for this city that has been discovered long before he set foot in this magical place.
When history is written it is oftentimes the victor whose voice is heard the loudest. I empathize with the Peruvian people, and all indigenous peoples, whose historical records have been taken from them, whether it be gold or silver artifacts, broken pieces of pottery, their tombs opened and invaded, or the corpses of long dead people taken from their homeland. Universities, archaeological societies, independent explorers. All sorts of institutions and people have laid claim to their "findings". But, that should't discount that these findings will then reach a greater proportion of people than just a small number who know very well of the magical places that lay hidden from so many eyes. Many of the wider swath of people have expertise and knowledge that can maintain those historical sites and the artifacts within. That being said, it's deplorable for any entity or person to lay claim to treasures that are of great importance to the people whose ancestors were the creators thereof. For what it's worth, I read this in the wiki entry on Machu Picchu: On 19 June 2008, National Geographic Society's vice-president Terry Garcia was quoted by the daily publication, La República. "We were part of this agreement. National Geographic was there, we know what was said, the objects were lent and should be returned." On 21 November 2010, Yale University agreed in principle to the return of the controversial artifacts to their original home in Peru. La Casa Concha (The Shell House) located close to Cusco's colonial center will be the permanent site where the Yale University artifacts will be exhibited. Owned by the National University of San Antonio Abad Del Cusco, La Casa Concha will also feature a study area for local and foreign students.On 19 September 2007, the Courant reported that Peru and Yale had reached an agreement regarding the requested return of the artifacts. The agreement includes sponsorship of a joint traveling exhibition and construction of a new museum and research center in Cusco about which Yale will advise Peruvian officials. Yale acknowledges Peru's title to all the excavated objects from Machu Picchu, but Yale will share rights with Peru in the research collection, part of which will remain at Yale as an object of continuing study.[35]