Mexico's Ministry of Culture has identified 195 pre-Hispanic archaeological objects listed for sale on eBay by a US-based seller and has formally demanded the platform halt the sales and return the items. The ministry, through Secretary Claudia Curiel de Icaza, argues the sale is illegal as the export of such cultural heritage has been prohibited since 1827, and their presence abroad results from illicit extraction. Legal action has been initiated with Mexican and international authorities, including Interpol and US Homeland Security Investigations, to secure repatriation.
The case highlights the ongoing challenges of policing the online antiquities market and enforcing cultural heritage laws across borders. The seller, 'Coins Artifacts,' defends the legality of the sales, citing provenance from a pre-treaty US private collection, setting up a potential legal clash over the retroactive application of international treaties. This dispute underscores the tension between national claims to cultural patrimony and the legal frameworks governing artifacts collected decades ago in the international art market.