In short
- The Codex Azcatitlán, a 16th-century pictographic manuscript on Aztec history, goes on display at Mexico City’s National Museum of Anthropology from Thursday.
- The manuscript had been outside Mexico for 186 years, and France’s Bibliothèque Nationale has held it since 1898.
- France lent the Codex Azcatitlán to Mexico to mark 200 years of Franco-Mexican relations, and Mexico agreed to lend France the Codex Boturini in return.
- Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum and French President Emmanuel Macron agreed the temporary exchange of the two codices during Macron’s visit to Mexico last year.
- Mexico’s ministry of foreign relations says more than 2,000 objects were repatriated to the country last year.
The Codex Azcatitlán, a 16th-century pictographic manuscript that recounts the history of the Aztecs and their fall after the Spanish conquest, goes on display at Mexico City’s National Museum of Anthropology from Thursday. It is the first time in 186 years the document has been shown in Mexico.
What is the Codex Azcatitlán?
The manuscript tells the story of the Aztec civilisation and its collapse after the arrival of the Spanish conquistadors in what is now Mexico, using pictograms rather than alphabetic text. It is thought to have been drawn in the 16th century, a few years after the conquistadors arrived, and is widely considered one of the most valuable and insightful accounts of Aztec history.
Why did France lend the codex to Mexico?
France’s Bibliothèque Nationale has held the Codex Azcatitlán since 1898, but the manuscript had already spent decades outside Mexico before that. France lent it to Mexico to mark 200 years of Franco-Mexican relations, and the loan is temporary.
What is Mexico lending France in return?
Mexico has agreed to lend France the Codex Boturini, another priceless document. Its pictograms narrate the migration of the Aztecs, also known as the Mexica, from their ancestral homeland to the shores of Lake Texcoco, where they built Tenochtitlán. Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum and French President Emmanuel Macron agreed the temporary exchange of the two codices during Macron’s visit to Mexico last year.
How many artefacts has Mexico recovered?
Mexico has long lobbied for the return of historical artefacts taken from the country in past centuries. According to Mexico’s ministry of foreign relations, more than 2,000 objects were successfully repatriated last year.
Disputes with European governments over assets and territory held abroad are a recurring theme in the region: Argentina has opened sanctions proceedings over the Falklands.
Where can the Codex Azcatitlán be seen?
The Codex Azcatitlán is exhibited at the National Museum of Anthropology in Mexico City from Thursday. The Codex Boturini will travel to France for display there as part of the same exchange between the two countries.
Frequently asked questions
Where is the Codex Azcatitlán on display?
The Codex Azcatitlán is exhibited at the National Museum of Anthropology in Mexico City from Thursday, making its first appearance in Mexico in 186 years.
Why did France lend the Codex Azcatitlán to Mexico?
France lent the manuscript to Mexico to mark 200 years of Franco-Mexican relations. In return, Mexico agreed to lend France the Codex Boturini for display there.
What is the Codex Azcatitlán?
It is a pictographic manuscript thought to have been drawn in the 16th century, telling the history of the Aztec civilisation and its fall after the Spanish conquest.
How many objects has Mexico repatriated?
Mexico’s ministry of foreign relations says more than 2,000 objects were successfully repatriated last year.
With reporting from BBC News.
Stock image, not from the events described. City Skyline — Joe deSousa / Wikimedia Commons (CC0 1.0)
