'Earth Monster' sculpture points to ancient beliefs in Mexico [View all]

[Judi Lynn]

It was carved from volcanic rock sometime between 800-400 BC during the heyday of the Olmec civilization, one of Mexico's earliest complex societies.

By REUTERS
Published: MAY 27, 2023 07:20



A view shows the Olmec bas-relief Monument 9 of Chalcatzingo after it was repatriated from the city of Denver, Colorado, U.S., at the "Museo Regional de los Pueblos de Morelos" museum, in Cuernavaca, Mexico, May 25, 2023, in this photo released and distributed by Mexico's National Institute of Anthr
(photo credit: Mexico's National Institute of Anthropology and History/Handout via REUTERS)


A massive stone sculpture carved by Olmec artists more than 2,000 years ago that evokes ancient religious beliefs has returned to Mexico after decades in the United States in a homecoming cheered by officials and scholars.

Known today as the "Earth Monster," the sculpture was likely taken from central Mexico during the 1960s, spending time in the hands of private collectors as well as on public display before being seized by antiquities trafficking agents working with New York prosecutors.

The symbol-laden artifact weighs roughly a tonne (2,200 pounds) and was likely found several decades earlier at the Chalcatzingo archeological site in Morelos state, just south of Mexico City.

US officials coordinated with their Mexican counterparts to repatriate the sculpture earlier this week.

It was carved from volcanic rock sometime between 800-400 BC during the heyday of the Olmec civilization, one of Mexico's earliest complex societies with sites mostly clustered around the country's Gulf coast. The Olmecs are well-known for their advanced artistic tradition, including colossal head sculptures.

More:
https://www.jpost.com/archaeology/article-744330