Spain returns 49 archaeological pieces recovered by National Police Force to Ecuador

The pieces recovered are the result of investigations under the so-called 'Florencia Operation' to combat money laundering and drug trafficking, which was commenced back in the year 2000 by the National Heritage Division of the Spanish Police Force. The operation uncovered close on 1,000 Pre-Colombian works purchased in various Ibero-American countries and subsequently exported illegally, of which 691 were returned last year to Colombia.

After providing the Government of Ecuador with various CDs containing the corresponding description of 150 pieces that did not belong to Colombia, the Directorate of Risks and Cultural Heritage of Ecuador responded by submitting a report drafted by the Directorate of Cultural Promotion and Inter-cultural Affairs of Ecuador to the Central Investigation Court No. 5 of the Spanish National High Court, which concluded that "49 archaeological pieces out of the 150 listed belong to the national heritage of Ecuador".

By virtue thereof, the judge of the aforesaid court adopted a ruling handed down on 16 July in the Rogatory Letter Procedure 10/2015N to hand over 49 pieces of the Archaeological and Paleontological Heritage to the authorities of Ecuador which were stored in the Museum of America.

Invaluable pieces

EFEWith the effective handover of the 49 pieces in the collection, a long process is culminated with great success in which the authorities and institutions of the two governments have closely collaborated in order to ensure that cultural heritage of great value that belongs to all the citizens of Ecuador can be protected and viewed in their place of origin.

The pieces handed over correspond to the Jama Coaque Ecuadorian culture, which ran from 500 BC to the 16th Century. The collection contains ceramic figurines of shamans, figures with ceremonial attire and very expressive women at prayer, which portray a great movement.

The majority of the works that form part of this collection are ceramics, and chronologically cover virtually the full time span of the cultures of Ecuador.

The oldest piece is possibly a delightful globular bottle from the Chorrera culture (1200-500 BC), which shows a surface engraved with geometric designs. These are traditionally whistling bottles since they emit a sound with the change in air pressure that takes place as the liquid they contain moves.

The handover was attended by the Ambassador of the Republic of Ecuador to Spain, Miguel Calahorrano; the Director-General of the National Police Force, Ignacio Cosidó, the Director-General of Fine Arts and Cultural Assets, Archives and Libraries of the Ministry of Education, Culture and Sport, Miguel Angel Recio and the Curator of the Museum, Concepción Garcia. All those present maintained that this was a special day for culture because, thanks to cooperation between the institutions of the two countries, works of incalculable historical value have been recovered.