The pieces, which date from between 500 BC (before our era) and 1521 AD (after our era), present features of the Mexica, Teotihuacan and Zapotec cultures.
Following the opinions of the INAH, it was confirmed that these assets belong to the cultural heritage of the nation, in accordance with the Federal Law on Monuments and Archaeological Zones.
This lot is added to the more than 2,000 objects repatriated during the first year of President Claudia Sheinbaum’s government.
It is a crime to steal archaeological pieces in Mexico
Stealing archaeological pieces in Mexico is considered a crime against cultural heritage, according to the Federal Law of Monuments and Archaeological Zones.
It is not only the Plume of Moctezuma, there are hundreds of archaeological pieces that are not in Mexico due to various looting that the country suffered over the years. Some are sold at auctions and others are part of private collections.
In March 2024, Mexican authorities reported on the voluntary return of 13 archaeological pieces by a US citizen, which are presumed to have been made during the Classic and Postclassic Mesoamerican periods.
The objects were delivered by American citizen Julie Qashu with the objective that they be safeguarded to preserve and promote the cultural heritage of Mexico.
The National Institute of Anthropology and History detailed that they correspond to cultures of the Central Altiplano, which were developed during the Classic Mesoamerican and Postclassic Mesoamerican periods.
