Status Updates From Cradle of Gold: The Story o...

Bingham was in over his head. He had embarrassed Yale, the U.S. State Department, and most of all himself. Fueled by equal parts self-regard and intellectual curiosity, he had attempted to anoint Yale as Peru's archeological godfather as well as ensure a continuous northward flow of artifacts. The goals were naively ambitious, and his reputation was under attack.

Born in 1875, over his 81 years he was variously a professor, writer, pilot, and U.S, senator. Hiram uncovered the ruins of Machu Picchu in 1911; in 1912, he exported its skulls, bones, beautiful ceramics, and precious metal artifacts to Yale.