Over a hundred artifacts from Pre-Inca and colonial times were returned to Peruvian authorities on Monday after being recovered from private collections in Germany and the US. Peru's Minister of Foreign Affairs handed over the ancient objects to the country's National Institute of Culture at a ceremony in Lima.

"We give today to the National Institute of Culture a group of objects which belong to the culturalpatrimony of all Peruvians. They came from Houston, Berlin and Hamburg, and after consulting with the National Institute of Culture, their Peruvian origin was confirmed."

The artifacts, mainly textiles and ceramic objects, date back to the variety of cultures established in Peru before its colonization by the Spanish in the 16th century. The first group of objects, mainly from colonial times, was seizedwas by US Customs in Houston, Texas and given to the Peruvian consulate. The remaining artifacts, including a variety of different textiles,flutes, a ceramic piece and three pre-Inca dolls, were returned by private citizens in Germany. The National Institute of Culture praised the citizens who voluntarily returned the pieces.