- Luebeck Museum Returns Human Remains for the First Time in Historical Repatriation
For the first time, Lübeck Museums have given back human remains from their World Cultures collection to their original home country. Peruvian Ambassador Augusto Arzubiaga Scheuch received the remains of an indigenous baby on Monday in Lübeck, as announced by the Hanseatic city. It's believed that the baby's burial site was discovered at the Ancón archaeological site, which was plundered towards the end of the 19th century during the construction of a railway line.
The remnants had made their way into the Lübeck Museums' collection in 1899, thanks to the Berlin art trade, according to Lübeck's Hanseatic city. Scheuch saw the return of the remains as a significant step forward in the relationship between the Hanseatic city of Lübeck and Peru. As of now, 26 sets of remains still remain in the collection, the city revealed.
Besides this latest return to Peru, the only other request for returning remains has come from the Selk'nam indigenous community in Chile. They're seeking the remains of one of their ancestors who died during the Tierra del Fuego genocide for a proper burial. A delegation from Tierra del Fuego is scheduled to visit Lübeck in October for this purpose.
The Hanseatic city of Lübeck has stated that they will include the following in their protocols: "The return of human remains to their original home countries when requested." Scheuch expressed hope that this action will further strengthen the relationship between Peru and Lübeck, encouraging more such returns in the future.
