Wednesday, 21 March 2018

Germans return 3,000-year-old statues

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Germany has graciously returned two 3,000-year-old pre-Hispanic wooden statues from the Olmec civilisation to the Mexican authorities.

The Mexicans say the artefacts were removed illegally from an Olmec archaeological site in eastern Mexico.

They were seized by police from controversial Costa Rican art collector Leonardo Patterson in southern Germany in 2008.

A court ruled in 2015 that they belonged to Mexico. Hence, on Tuesday they were handed to the Mexican ambassador.

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The statues had been kept in the Bavarian State Archaeological Collection after they were seized from Mr Patterson in Munich in 2008.

They were part of a collection of more than 1,000 Aztec, Maya and Olmec artefacts which has been at the centre of an international art hunt for decades.


The Mexican ambassador Rogelio Granguillhome and Rupert Gebhard of the archaeological State Collection in Munich shake hands

The Mexican ambassador Rogelio Granguillhome was delighted to receive the statues from Rupert Gebhard

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