Question for February 2023

Pakal’s jade mask was stolen on Christmas Eve, along with 123 other very famous objects from the National Museum in Mexico City. The objects, including Pakal’s mask, were so famous that experts speculated that they wouldn’t be able to sell them. They were stolen by two men, Carlos Perches Treviño, age 28, and Ramón Sardina García, age 30, who were dropouts from veterinary school. They had planned the heist for six months, doing extensive research of the museum during more than 50 visits. They took many photographs, studied the display cases, drew up floor plans, and watched the routines of the guards very closely. They probably chose to break-in on Christmas eve because they knew the guards would likely be less vigilant, and in fact, the break-in wasn’t discovered until the next morning, despite the fact that the night guards were supposed to check each room at least once an hour.

Two dropout veterinary students stole King Pakal’s famous jade mask along with 123 other treasures of Mexican antiquity on Christmas morning 1985

111 of the objects have been returned to the museum, including the jade mask. The museum beefed up its security dramatically following the return of the objects. It also raised awareness in Mexico about the value of cultural patrimony of these priceless pieces.

Media coverage of the return of the stolen artefacts in 1989