Although the collaborations continue, with more professors of the artifact subject matter, the real challenge has just begun.

The easy part of the project was the historical research, conceptualizing, contextualizing, and verification. The next steps to look at are:

• Do these objects need restitution?
  • Each location will have its reasoning. (i.e. Was the Egyptian artifact looted and or brought over after certain timeframes?)
• What is the process that follows?
  • Do we contact individual tribes, consulates, the Ministry of Tourism and Antiquities, religious organizations, and or an anthropology museum?
• What will be the pivot plan if the location of origin does not want it back?
  • What type of care and treatment is required?
  • Can it be displayed?
  • Can we create an exhibit that displays the objects while keeping the museum’s mission statement intact? (Already discussed, and the answer is yes!)

The photo above is of a Mayan Aquiahuac Burnt Orange Polychrome plate. This is, as of now, the only Pre-Columbian Meso-American object I would feel comfortable displaying. The other artifacts, such as the deity and effigy vessels, have a spiritual aura, and I would like to respect the ancestors for whom they were created.

The plate is evidence of trade and how, over time, objects created in one location, such as Cholula, Mexico, eventually found their way to surrounding areas, in this case, to Nicaragua.

As mentioned two of our effigy vessels have a spiritual essence, but they also have a challenging history. Prior to the Mexican- American War, both of the locations where the effigy vases would have originated from were within Meso-American borders. However, after these events Casa Grande, Arizona would fall under NAGPRA and Casa Grande, Mexico falls under a completely different jurisdiction.

In circumstances as this we need an outside collaboration. Bonnie from the Pantheon, suggested reaching out to Dr. Christopher Beekman from the University of Colorado, who specializes in parts of Meso-American anthropology. He did give us some insight on the effigy fragment and the platter above. However, he suggest reaching out to Dr. Michael Mathiowetz, from the University of California- Riverside, whose research includes Mesoamerica, west Mexico, and the U.S. Southwest/Mexican Northwest.

Dr. Beekman (University of Colorado)

Dr. Mathiowetz (Youtube)

This past week, Ayla and I had collaborative meetings together and separately to inquire how someone went through the process they took in their own repatriation, a possible person who can verify our object from the Amazon, and someone who was interested in the pieces we have and how we acquired them.

Bonnie, the curator from The Pantheon, gave me tips and connections on whom to reach out to regarding our Meso-American pieces. Unlike NAGPRA, there is no clear checklist or procedure for repatriating international objects. Not to mention that because of the political climate and current events, the relationships between countries are affected.

During our meeting with David from the Yanomami Foundation, we verified that the objects obtained through the 2003 accessions may have been gifts to the missionaries. If we knew who had given them to the donor, we might have to return them to the tribe to be destroyed; however, since we do not have the individual’s identity, they lose their value to the tribe.

Dr. Eger also took a look at some of the objects that he had an interest in, as well as directed us to a few professional academics whose fields aligned with our artifacts.

This Spring term is a continuation of what I started in the summer. I am still continuing to do research on some of the objects I was not able to complete; I have also begun reaching out to other establishments such as: the curator from Nashville’s Pantheon, David from the Yanomami Foundation, the INOA in Mexico City, and professors from around the country, to collaborate with us in identifying the artifacts we have from different place across the globe. The Story Map above shows the different places where our material culture would have been found, but in some cases, were influenced by different occupations than what civilization occupies it today

This spring, I will be presenting at the Society of American Archaeology, along with my internship mentor, on a panel. We will be speaking about this process and the challenges that come with carrying out a global repatriation project, which differs from NAGPRA returns. There is no clear system or checklist for completing the task.

My name is Roxanne Cortés, a second-year master’s student of History with a concentration in Public History at the University of North Carolina, Greensboro. My research focus has been the colonization of the Caribbean by Cristóbal Colón, and the perspective of this historical figure in three Latin American countries, which I would like to continue after graduation and perhaps publish. I worked alongside a mentor on her project for a summer archaeology school, during which I developed the skill of analyzing and conceptualizing artifacts found, which were later published last winter. My undergraduate degree is in History and Anthropology, which has helped immensely in my studies in higher education.

History has always been my passion and piqued my interest; I did not see it as a career pathway, so I pursued massage therapy and worked towards a nursing degree. Life happened, and I enlisted in the Army; afterwards, I wanted to continue what I had begun years before, but I realized I was not the same person and decided to dive into history.

Before all of my formal education, I read monographs on mostly European subjects, including Medieval, Tudor, Georgian, and Victorian history. Once becoming a student of history, each book, lecture, and journal required to read was more exhilarating than a task for a grade.

https://www.linkedin.com/in/roxanne-cortes-aa96b4190/: Roxy Cortes