Looted Peru treasure found in UK
An ancient Peruvian headdress which was looted from an archaeological site almost 20 years ago has been found by police in London . It is considered a national treasure and disappeared in 1988 after a tomb in northern Peru was raided and its contents sold on the black market. It was handed to a firm of solicitors in central London by one of its clients who did not know it was stolen. The headdress, depicting a sea god, dates back to 700AD. It is an example of ancient Peruvian Mochica civilisation art and is regarded by experts as one of the most important artefacts in Peruvian cultural heritage. Dr Walter Alva, director of the Royal Tombs of Sipan Museum in Peru, described the seizure as "a very important moment in the worldwide war against illicit art and the looting of my country". "We are speaking about an archaeological object [of] the utmost historical and aesthetic importance, which is one of the most important ornaments of the ancient Peruvian cultures," he