By Montserrat Arqué
May 3, 2024, 16:25 PM EDT
The Landau family, who are originally from Philadelphia, have been recognized in the United States, for several decades, for the passion they have shown for Mexican art and their interest in the collection of archaeological pieces.
However, recently, this family from Philadelphia became news after they decided to voluntarily return 22 archaeological pieces to Mexico.
Leonard Landau, the patriarch of the family, was a lover of Mexican art and enjoyed collecting these objects. After his death, his wife and children considered that the right thing to do was to return them to their place of origin, as a sign of respect and recognition of their historical and cultural importance, which has been possible thanks to the collaboration with the Mexican authorities.
This agreement was made between the Consulate of Mexico in Philadelphia and the Mexican Cultural Center (CCM) in a delivery-reception ceremony that underlines international cooperation in the preservation of the historical and cultural legacy of nations.
The delivery of the archaeological pieces was carried out after a process of verifying their authenticity before the National Institute of Anthropology and History (INAH). An archaeologist specialized in pre-Columbian cultures from the INAH examined the pieces and determined that the collection, which includes anthropomorphic figures and vessels, matched artifacts made by various Mesoamerican cultures that inhabited Mexico between 400 BC and 1521 AD. Therefore, they are considered archaeological heritage of the nation.
Among the 22 pieces returned, 5 date from the Mesoamerican Preclassic period (400 BC-200 AD), 16 belong to the Classic period (100-700 AD) and one is from the Postclassic period (1200-1521 AD). This temporal variety reflects the richness and diversity of the Mesoamerican cultures that existed in Mexican territory throughout history.
During the delivery ceremony, the Landau family expressed their gratitude to the Mexican institutions for their collaboration in this process. They highlighted the importance of having the Mexican Cultural Center of Philadelphia to facilitate the return of the pieces, thus highlighting the crucial role of international cooperation in the preservation of cultural heritage.
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