CHICAGO, IL.- A significant fragment of a Classic Maya panel, after decades in the United States, has officially been repatriated to Mexico. The National Museum of Mexican Art (NMMA) in Chicago facilitated the return in collaboration with the Mexican government. The piece was formally received by Mexico's National Institute of Anthropology and History (INAH) following expert assessment and conservation review.

The repatriation was announced during a press conference held at the NMMA on May 16, 2025. Diego Prieto Hernández, Director General of INAH, highlighted the museum's willingness to return the artifact as an "exemplary gesture" and a "milestone" in relations between U.S. and Mexican museums, promoting active collaboration to recover Mexican heritage found illicitly abroad.

Representing the Ministry of Culture, an anthropologist stated that, in cooperation with the NMMA, the plan is for the fragment to remain on display in Chicago for approximately one year after its registration and restoration. This aims to allow local residents, particularly the Mexican, Mexican-American, and Latino communities, to view the piece. "The idea is that this exhibition will help, especially among students and children of Mexican origin, to understand the importance of repatriation and the fight against the illicit trafficking of our country's heritage," he said.

Mexican Consul General in Chicago, Reyna Torres Mendivil, celebrated the event, emphasizing that heritage items belong to the Mexican people but should be accessible for everyone to appreciate in public spaces, not confined to private collections.

The repatriated piece is a limestone fragment measuring 119 × 53 × 9.5 centimeters, dating from the Classic Maya period (600-900 AD). Experts suggest its probable origin lies in the Puuc region, encompassing parts of modern-day Campeche and southern Yucatán states. The relief carving depicts a figure adorned with an elaborate mask and headdress, with hands extended as if speaking. The work was originally part of a larger composition featuring two figures facing each other.

The fragment previously belonged to the private collection of Jeanne and Joseph Sullivan and was exhibited in the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York and the Brooklyn Museum during the 1960s and 1970s. The Sullivan children initiated the process to return the sculpture to Mexico by seeking the NMMA's assistance.

Cesáreo Moreno, Director of Visual Arts at the NMMA, spoke about the evolving role of museums in the 21st century, shifting from merely collecting to working closely with communities. He noted that seeing heritage out of context can be jarring and stressed the importance of exhibiting the fragment in a way that educates visitors, especially young people, about repatriation and the significance of cultural heritage to its communities of origin, fostering a broader understanding of humanity.

Antonio Saborit García-Peña, Director of the National Museum of Anthropology in Mexico City, commented on the responsibility involved in reintegrating such pieces. He stated that it signifies the return of an archaeological work to its origin, acknowledging its historical value and craftsmanship within shared cultures.