Augustus Le Plongeon and the Chac-Mool of the National Museum of Anthropology

Abstract

This article addresses the historical evolution of one of the most famous Mayan archaeological pieces: the Chac Mol sculpture. Since Augustus Le Plongeon made the discovery in 1875, this anthropomorphic sculpture ran the risk of being taken out of the country, like many others illegally extracted throughout history and now part of private collections. This is the case of the Chac Mol sculpture; the cultural events and Mexican politicians of that time were able to see to it that the sculpture's final destination became the National Anthropology Museum in Mexico, and not a foreign museum or private collection. The Chac Mool is undoubtedly one of the most representative pieces of this Mesoamerican area. This article analyzes its evolution, diving into the archeology of its archeology.