Guatemala stakes claim to stone lintel by 'the Michelangelo of the pre-Columbian era' that was repatriated to Mexico

Guatemala’s cultural ministry has formally requested the repatriation from Mexico of a Maya limestone lintel that Mexico officially repatriated on 16 April after an unnamed US businessman brought it to the Mexican consulate in New York. Guatemalan authorities say technical analysis and consultations with archaeologists indicate the lintel originated in Guatemala’s Petén Basin, making it part of Guatemala’s cultural heritage, and cultural minister Luis Méndez Salinas said recovery efforts are being coordinated through the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. The lintel dates to the Classic period (AD 600–AD 900) and depicts a ritual scene linked to the Maya ruler Cheleew Chan K’inich. Archaeologist Stephen Houston attributes the work to the elite artist Mayuy—whom he calls “the Michelangelo of the pre-Columbian era”—and notes the piece was documented in the 1950s before being illegally removed and entering the antiquities market; it is one of four related lintels now split between US private collections and the Kimbell Art Museum in Texas.

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