Aztec codex returns to Mexico on temporary loan from France
The 16th-century Codex Azcatitlan has been displayed in Mexico City to mark 200 years of diplomatic ties, though Mexico continues to seek its permanent return.
A 16th-century Aztec manuscript known as the Codex Azcatitlan went on display in Mexico City on Thursday, marking its return to the country nearly two centuries after it was taken to France. The exhibit, held at the National Museum of Anthropology, serves as a cultural highlight for the bicentenary of diplomatic relations between the two nations.
The codex, which depicts the history of the Aztec empire in pictograms, has been held by France’s National Library for over a century. It left Mexico around 1840, and its recent return is part of a temporary loan arrangement rather than a permanent repatriation.
Mexican Foreign Minister Roberto Velasco described the exhibit during the unveiling. The timing of the loan is significant, as it coincides with the 200th anniversary of diplomatic ties between France and Mexico, providing a diplomatic backdrop to the cultural exchange.
As part of the broader agreement, Mexico is simultaneously loaning the Codex Boturini to France. This document, which depicts the migration of the Aztec people, will be displayed in France while the Codex Azcatitlan is in Mexico.
Despite the celebratory nature of the bicentenary, the arrangement remains a source of ongoing negotiation. Mexico is actively pushing for the permanent return of the Codex Azcatitlan, viewing the current loan as a step toward resolving the long-standing question of the manuscript’s ownership.
The display underscores the complex intersection of cultural heritage and diplomatic relations. While the loan fosters goodwill, the underlying desire for permanent restitution suggests that the governance of historical artifacts remains a key point of discussion between the two countries.
