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  • Posts Tagged ‘Mexican artefacts’

    GOVERNMENT CLAIMS MAYAN STATUE IS FAKE, AUCTION HOUSE SAY NO

    Thursday, March 24th, 2011
    A war of words has broken out between a Paris auction house and the Mexican government.  Mexico claims a Mayan statue auctioned for 2.9 million euro at a sale of pre-Columbian artefacts at Binoche et Giquello at Drouot Richelieu on March 21 is a fake.  The auctioneers say  this  is an attempt by Mexican officials to shake confidence in the auction market for pre-Hispanic artefacts.
    The National Institute of Anthropology and History (INAH) in Mexico claim the seated divinity figure was manufactured recently. The auctioneers dated it to between 550 and 950. INAH says a thorough archaeological examination before the auction included 203 images of the 207 lots. INAH experts established that 140 pieces are Prehispanic and 67 others were recently made.
    The auctioneers say the piece has been publicly written about since 1976, examined by experts, exhibited and discussed in professional forums and publications.