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By Alejandro Melgoza
Joel Santos is a seasoned archeologist who sniffs the steps of archaeological smugglers, who often leave untidy scenes: piled dirt, potsherds, burnt wood that they use to light the inside of tombs and bones of ancient characters.
Santos says that the west of the country is the most affected region.
According to reports obtained by EL UNIVERSAL via the Transparency Law, almost 1,282 thousand archaeological pieces were seized in Mexico in the last 10 years.
The report mentions Mexico City as the place with the highest number of seizures, but it does not specify the place of origin of the pieces, among them anthropomorphic and zoomorphic figurines.
Data provided by the Attorney General's Office (PGR) show that from 2013 to 2015 the theft of archaeological pieces increased 985%, from seven to 76.
Santos says that in the middle of the last century there was a rush of illicit trafficking in archaeological pieces both, by "amateurs and specialized smugglers hired by "a circle of collectors who know each other." He added that the use of technology, including drones, has contributed to this kind of thefts.
Sometimes damages are irreparable. According to Santos, heritage is also affected by new constructions and vandalism.
“The worst is that no complaints are filed," regretted Blanca Paredes Gudiño, archaeological expert.
Santos said that archaeological looting in Mexico started with the Spanish conquest, and that currently some of the most affected states are Michoacán, Guanajuato, Colima, Jalisco and Zacatecas, as well as some points of Durango, Sinaloa and Nayarit.
The archaeologist also said that false pieces are also commercialized. In June 2015 the National Institute of Anthropology and History (INAH) determined that 65% of the pieces advertised as coming from Mexico that Joron Derem and Binoche et Giquello sought auction in Paris were apocryphal.
