Abstract

Looting has been a persistent issue in the Petén region of Guatemala since the Spanish conquest. However, the 1960s witnessed a significant escalation in looting activities, resulting in the widespread theft of numerous Maya artifacts across the region. Among these, El Perú Stela 34, which is the focus of this study, became a notable casualty. In the early 1970s, epigrapher Ian Graham conducted a survey at El Perú-Waka’, where he documented various monuments. During this fieldwork, Graham encountered the back portion of what is now identified as El Perú Stela 34. This project contributes to the ongoing discourse on cultural heritage and enhanced practices surrounding the restitution of significant artifacts by focusing on El Perú Stela 34, a pivotal monument from Waka’. Attention is paid to its historical journey and the ethical implications of its acquisition and repatriation. Commissioned by Lady K’abel, the Kaanul queen who ruled at Waka’ between 672 C.E. and 692 C.E., the stela features numerous signatures and elaborately executed carvings in high relief. Looted in the 1960s, El Perú Stela 34 was disassembled into three distinct sections: the upper register, the back and sides, and the lower register. While the back and sides were abandoned at site as blocks, the upper and lower register were subsequently trafficked in the art market. The upper register was ultimately acquired by the Cleveland Museum of Art in Ohio, while the lower register found its way into the possession of a private individual in San Diego before it was ultimately returned to Guatemala. I employ a comprehensive methodology, utilizing ethnographic interviews and archival sources, to discuss the artifact’s three complex life histories. Furthermore, I outline an advocacy plan aimed at addressing the irreversible harm inflicted by the artifact’s removal and dissection from the site while exploring ethical pathways for repatriation. By integrating archaeological ethics and Indigenous perspectives, I seek to derive lessons from past practices to inform better methods and enhanced ethical standards for repatriation of cultural heritage in Guatemala.

Advisor

Navarro-Farr, Olivia

Department

Archaeology

Disciplines

Archaeological Anthropology | Social and Behavioral Sciences

Keywords

Cultural Heritage, Repatriation, Maya, Guatemala, Stela 34, Looting, Archaeology, Museums, Ethics, Indigenous Ontology

Publication Date

2025

Degree Granted

Bachelor of Arts

Document Type

Senior Independent Study Thesis

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© Copyright 2025 Sydney Berenson