Mexico has recovered 9 pre-Columbian coins from Georgia, USA

On February 28, Mexico obtained the return of a complete batch consisting of nine pre-Columbian statuettesbelonging to the Zapotec culture. The character sheltering occurred on February 9, 2023 in the town of Clayton, Georgia, United States. It is through a declaration, by which the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (ERS) and the National Institute of Anthropology and History (INAH) provided the details.

These are important actions because, according to the authorities, the cultural heritage and historical memory of our country are being recovered.

The delivery of the exhibits was made before officials of the Department of Foreign Affairs, through the Consulate General of Mexico in Atlanta, and were voluntarily fired by the heirs of Mrs. Eileen Patricia Leathers, residing in Sky Valley, Georgia, USA.

“In the deed, the representative of the heirs was satisfied and proud to return to our country the coins and thus collaborate in the efforts that the Mexican authorities have undertaken to recover the cultural and historical heritage that is illegally found outside our borders,” the Institute pointed out.

Opinion issued by specialists from the National Institute of Anthropology and History (INAH) has confirmed that it is nine little heads with anthropomorphic characteristics, originally from Monte Albán, Oaxaca, belonging to the Zapotec culture (approximately 150 BC – 700 AD), so they are archaeological monuments furniture, property of the Mexican nation, defined and protected in accordance with the Federal Law of Monuments and Archaeological, artistic and historical areas.

With regard to the repatriated goods, these will remain under the protection of the INAH to carry out the corresponding analysis and proceed with their maintenance, conservation and dissemination.

“Private collectors abroad who currently hold Mexican coins are invited to join in the protection and safeguarding of these assets, and to return them for their study, conservation and dissemination, since they are objects that bear witness to identity and memory. of the peoples of Mexico”, urged the INAH.

Recall that between 2018 and 2022, the Mexican government recovered from abroad approximately 9 thousand pieces that he considers national heritage. These were mostly auctions that the Mexican government managed to stop, which took place in cities like New York, Paris and Rome.

In these appear objects stolen or that belong to the heritage of Mexico and they have intensified the demands before foreign governments to recover Archaeological pieces and artistic. One of the main objectives was the return to Mexico of 2 thousand 500 archaeological pieces by the consulate in Barcelona.

Of the latest assets recovered, in December 2022, Mexico repatriated a total of 223 archaeological pieces by the country’s embassy in the Netherlands. who were part of heritage from Mexico.

On the other hand, Foreign Minister Marcelo Ebrard has repeatedly exposed what heritage recovery strategy. It is composed of three actions, the voluntary surrender, that is to say, raise awareness, insist, who have the rights of the different types of collections. Secondly, the confiscations provided for by law and thirdly, the auction cancellation that had not been done so far.

The suspension of unauthorized sales is of utmost importance. Initially, Mexico had to verify that the origin of what was auctioned was illegal. However, the process has already changed, since it is Mexico that defends the thesis that “whoever sells at auction must show the legal origin of what he is selling and not the other way around”.