MEXICO CITY.- In a landmark gesture of cultural cooperation, Portugal has returned three pre-Hispanic archaeological objects that were illegally removed from Mexico, marking the first time the European nation has restituted heritage pieces to the country.

The artifacts were formally handed over to the Mexican Embassy in Lisbon on February 12, 2026, in a ceremony that underscored growing international collaboration against the illicit trafficking of cultural property. The objects—representing distinct cultures and historical periods of ancient Mesoamerica—will be repatriated to Mexico via diplomatic pouch in the coming weeks.

Mexico’s Secretary of Culture, Claudia Curiel de Icaza, described the restitution as an important milestone in bilateral cooperation and in Mexico’s broader efforts to safeguard its cultural legacy abroad.

“This return confirms that international cooperation protects who we are,” she said in a statement. “Each restitution restores memory and identity to Mexico and reaffirms our shared commitment to combating the trafficking of cultural goods.”

Three objects spanning Mesoamerican cultures

The recovered works include a clay female figure, a Maya polychrome vessel, and a Zapotec funerary urn—each tied to ceremonial or symbolic traditions within ancient societies.

One of the most striking pieces is a 43-centimeter modeled clay female figure from western Mexico. Seated on her knees and wearing a skirt and conical headdress, the figure features a polished surface with applied details, incisions, and scarification marks on the shoulders. Specialists attribute it to the Tala-Tonalá style of the Shaft Tomb (Tumbas de Tiro) tradition, associated with the region of present-day Jalisco. Dating between 300 and 600 CE, such figures are often linked to rituals concerning fertility and motherhood. The object had previously surfaced in connection with a planned auction in 2024 and became the subject of an investigation by Lisbon’s Public Prosecutor’s Office.

A second object is a Classic-period Maya polychrome vessel (600–900 CE), decorated with imagery of elite figures and hieroglyphic inscriptions. Scholars believe vessels of this type were used in ritual contexts, possibly for the consumption of cacao or other ceremonial beverages. The vessel was seized by authorities in the province of Guimarães and is thought to originate from southeastern Mexico.

The third artifact is a Zapotec funerary urn from Oaxaca’s Central Valleys, representing Cocijo, the deity associated with rain and thunder. Dating between 600 and 1200 CE, the urn reflects the religious symbolism and burial traditions of Zapotec culture. It was confiscated by authorities in Évora-Estremoz.

Identification and authentication

The recovery process began after the Mexican Embassy in Portugal alerted authorities in Mexico to the existence of the objects. Using photographs provided by Portuguese officials, specialists from Mexico’s National Institute of Anthropology and History (INAH) conducted a preliminary assessment and confirmed the pieces’ affiliation with Mexico’s archaeological heritage.

Portuguese institutions, including the Judicial Police and the Camões Institute for Cooperation and Language, played a key role in securing the objects.

To support the verification process, Mexican archaeologist Aline Lara Galicia—affiliated with the Atlas research group at the University of Seville—was commissioned in 2025 to conduct an on-site evaluation at the request of Portuguese authorities. Her study confirmed both the authenticity of the artifacts and their significant symbolic roles within the social, political, and ritual life of the Mesoamerican cultures from which they originated.

A shared commitment to heritage protection

The handover ceremony brought together officials from both countries, including Mexico’s ambassador to Portugal, Bruno Figueroa Fischer; Portugal’s national director of the Judicial Police, Luís Neves; Camões Institute president Florbela Paraíba; and João Oliveira, head of the Lisbon and Tagus Valley directorate of the Judicial Police. Archaeologist Lara Galicia participated remotely.

The restitution reflects Mexico’s ongoing legal and diplomatic strategy to recover cultural heritage located unlawfully abroad, a coordinated effort led by the Ministries of Foreign Affairs and Culture. In recent years, Mexico has intensified international partnerships aimed at identifying trafficked artifacts, halting illegal sales, and facilitating returns.

Portugal’s decision to return the three objects signals a growing recognition among nations that cultural heritage protection is a shared global responsibility. For Mexico, the repatriation is not only a legal success but also a symbolic one—bringing home objects that carry the histories, beliefs, and identities of ancient civilizations.