Ethics and Stelae Repatriation in Guatemala: A Study of the Life History and a Proposed Restitution Plan for Stela 34 from El Perú-Waka’

Summary

This is an abstract from the "SAA 2025: Individual Abstracts" session, at the 90th annual meeting of the Society for American Archaeology.

This work aspires to contribute to the ongoing discourse on cultural heritage and enhance practices surrounding the restitution of significant artifacts by focusing on Stela 34, a pivotal monument from El Perú-Waka’ (henceforth 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 CE and 692 CE, the stela features numerous signatures and elaborately executed carvings in high relief. Looted in the 1960s and subsequently circulated within the art market, it was eventually acquired by the Cleveland Museum of Art. I employ a comprehensive methodology, utilizing epigraphic, historical, and archival sources, to discuss the artifact’s complex life history. I also propose an advocacy plan to both address the irreversible harm resulting from its removal from the site while exploring ethical pathways for its repatriation. By integrating archaeological ethics and indigenous perspectives, I propose lessons from the past can inform better practices and enhanced ethical standards for repatriation in Guatemala.

This Resource is Part of the Following Collections

• Society for American Archaeology 90th Annual Meeting, Denver, CO (2025)   •
• SAA 2025: Individual Abstracts

Keywords

Record Identifiers

Abstract Id(s): 52298