Belize Maya Demands Return of Sacred Artefacts

The British Museum is facing renewed calls to return cultural objects taken during colonial expeditions, this time from Belize. San Benito Poite, a small, village in southern Belize, has formally requested the return of human remains and artefacts taken from the ancient Maya city of Pusilha nearly a century ago, along with a $1 million BZD repatriation grant.

In a signed resolution addressed to the British Museum, San Benito Poite’s Alcalde Manuel Cucul and Village Chairman Richard Caal lay out seven key demands. These include the return of all human remains to Pusilhá for proper reburial. It also seeks the repatriation of carved stelae and altars that were previously removed from the area. The museum is asked to send back a selection of ceramic and lithic objects, with transportation costs covered by the institution. The letter requests a $1 million BZD grant to build and operate a visitor centre in Pusilhá to house and interpret the artefacts. A 10-year scholarship fund is also proposed, among others.

Between 1928 and 1931, British Museum expeditions, assisted by looter Thomas Gann, removed numerous artefacts from Pusilhá without the consent of the Maya people and in violation of archaeological standards. Items including stelae, altars, pottery, and human remains were taken, often damaged during extraction, with no proper documentation or inventory kept. The museum has since admitted it does not hold legal title to many of these objects, which remain unregistered and out of public view in storage.