After more than 50 years of waiting, the Chalcatzingo Monument 9an impressive Olmec sculpture known as the “Portal to the underworld”, has returned to its place of originwhere it was carved more than 2,500 years ago and where it should never have come from.
In a ceremony held at the Regional Museum of the Peoples of Morelos (MRPM), the authorities of the Secretaries of Culture and Foreign Relations (SRE), the National Institute of Anthropology and History (INAH) and the state and municipal governments of Morelos and Jantetelco formally delivered this piece to the people of Mexico.
Mariana Aymerich Ordoñez, General Director of Promotion and Cultural Festivals and in charge of the General Directorate of International Affairs, on behalf of the Federal Secretary of Culture, Alejandra Frausto Guerrero, highlighted that this act is a recognition of the legacy of ancient cultures and exemplifies the constant efforts of the Mexican State to recover its illegally stolen cultural heritage.
To date, 11,771 archaeological pieces have been recovered, historical and ethnographic in the current administration, as part of the “My Heritage is not for sale” campaign. According to Aymerich Ordoñez, the Olmec sculpture that is celebrated today has been one of the most desired by the country. In addition, he called on all countries, authorities and auction houses to defend and love his heritage, instead of selling it.
Diego Prieto Hernández, general director of the INAH, conveyed congratulations from the president of Mexico, Andrés Manuel López Obrador, to the inhabitants of Morelos and highlighted the government policy of safeguarding and exhibiting archaeological monuments in their communities of origin. This not only seeks to promote social justice, but also to strengthen collective identities.
Monument 9 will remain in the MRPM for approximately one year before returning to the municipality of Jantetelco and the town of Chalcatzingo. Work is being carried out to adapt the site museum in order to adequately house this pre-Columbian monolith.
Prieto Hernández highlighted the hard work of the director of the Chalcatzingo Archaeological Project, Mario Córdova Tello, who for more than 25 years followed the trail of sculpture. He collected information on its characteristics, materiality, museums where it had been exhibited, archaeological reports, ethnographic interviews, and data on how it had been looted in the 1960s.
Thanks to his work and with the support of the SRE and the General Consulate of Mexico in New York, the case was reopened in November 2022, which led to a new investigation by the Antiquities Trafficking Unit of the Fiscal District of NY. This investigation led to the confiscation of the monument in Denver, Colorado, and its subsequent repatriation to Mexico.
The Earth Monster?
Archaeologist Mario Córdova Tello clarified that Chalcatzingo Monument 9, erroneously known as the “monster of the earth”, it does not exist as a term in Chalcatzingo Olmec literature.
This imposing stone sculpture represents a fantastic creature with open jaws. Through geometric and naturalistic forms, it symbolizes the access to a cave, which is not only interpreted as the entrance to the underworld, but also as the humid, dark and primal space of human existence.
The archaeologist pointed out that the piece has two decorative motifs similar to drops of water at the level of the eyes, and four bromeliad flowers carved around its mouth, which refer to the Mesoamerican concept of the “Sacred Mountain”.
These elements link Monument 9 with other iconographic features present in Monument 1, also known as “El Rey”, located in the Chalcatzingo Archaeological Zone.
The tireless work of the director of the Chalcatzingo Archaeological Project, Mario Córdova Tello, was fundamental in gathering exhaustive documentation on the sculpture over more than 25 years.
During that time, he collected information about its characteristics, materiality, museums in which it had previously been exhibited (at least twice in the 1970s and 1990s), archaeological reports, ethnographic interviews, and details about its looting in the early 1970s. 1960s.
Thanks to his dedication and with the support of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (SRE) and the General Consulate of Mexico in New York, the case was re-examined in November 2022.
This led to a new investigation by the New York Tax District Antiquities Trafficking Unit, which succeeded in seizing the monument in Denver, Colorado, and subsequently repatriate him to Mexico on May 19, 2023.
The return of the Underworld Portal
After a five-hour flight from Denver, Colorado, in the United States, the long-awaited return of the Chalcatzingo Monument 9an impressive Olmec sculpture also known as the “Portal of the Underworld”, has arrived in its homeland in the state of Morelos.
This repatriation was possible thanks to the collaboration of the federal secretariats of Culture and Foreign Relations, the National Institute of Anthropology and History (INAH) and the New York Prosecutor’s Office.
Monument 9, an imposing monumental piece that weighs more than one ton and reaches approximately 1.80 meters in height, was transported in a “Hercules” plane of the Mexican Air Force from the United States to the Cuernavaca International Airport. Subsequently, it was transferred by land to its final destination, the MRPM.
Once in the museum, the protective plastics that covered the sculpture were removed to allow the stone material to adapt to the climate of Morelos.
During this time, the monument remained unaltered until 9:00 a.m. on May 20. Then, specialists from the National Coordination for the Conservation of Cultural Heritage (CNCPC), the National Coordination of Museums and Exhibitions of the INAH, and personnel from the Córdova Plaza company and the MRPM, proceeded to remove the wooden guards designed to ensure the stability of the the part during transport.
After these works, an additional visual inspection of Monument 9 was carried out, carried out by experts from the CNCPC, the restorer Ana Bertha Miramontes Mercado, and the archaeologists of the Archaeological Zone of Chalcatzingo, Mario Córdova Tello and Carolina Meza Rodríguez.
Said inspection had the objective of guaranteeing the conservation and determining if the sculpture suffered any damage during its transport. Fortunately, it was determined that the monument is in stable condition and has not been affected.
Chalcatzingo Monument 9, also known as the “Portal of the Underworld”, has been the object of long and meticulous work for its recovery and return to Mexico.
This imposing Olmec sculpture, dating back more than 2,500 years, is considered a priceless treasure of Mexico’s cultural heritage. His return marks an important milestone in the fight to preserve and protect the country’s cultural heritage.
For decades, Monument 9 remained outside its place of origin, suffering painful banishment imposed by those who illegally traffic in the country’s historical legacy.
fantastic creature
The symbolism and beauty of this sculpture are captivating. carved in stone, Monument 9 represents a fantastic creature with open jawswhich symbolizes the access to a cave, both as the entrance to the underworld and the primordial origin of human existence.
Details such as the drops of water at the level of the eyes and the bromeliad flowers carved around its mouth evoke the Mesoamerican concept of the “Sacred Mountain”, establishing links with other iconographic elements present in Monument 1 or “The King” of Chalcatzingo Archaeological Zone.
The recovery of Monument 9 is not only an achievement for Mexico, but also an international call to protect and preserve the cultural heritage of all nations. In the words of the Culture and Foreign Relations authorities, this repatriation sends a clear message to all countries, authorities and auction houses: “My heritage is not sold, it is loved and defended”.
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