The FBI has successfully repatriated a 500-year-old stolen document signed by Spanish conquistador Hernán Cortés to Mexico. The manuscript page, penned in 1527, is one of 15 pages thought to have been swiped from Mexico’s national archives between 1985 and 1993. The document details plans for Cortés’ journey across what would become New Spain, including payments made for supplies for expeditions.
The recovered page was discovered in the US and repatriated on Wednesday, following a request for assistance from the Mexican government to the FBI’s art crime team in 2024. The FBI’s investigation revealed that the document had changed hands several times since its theft, and while the agency did not reveal exactly where the manuscript page was found or who had owned it, they were able to track it down through open-source research.
Special Agent Jessica Dittmer of the FBI’s art crime team said the document “really gives a lot of flavour as to the planning and preparation for uncharted territory back then,” outlining “the payment of pesos of common gold for expenses in preparation for discovery of the spice lands.” The “spice lands” refer to areas of eastern and southern Asia, which Europeans sought to reach by sailing west, ultimately leading to the discovery of the Americas.
Cortés, an explorer who brought about the end of the Aztec empire and helped pave the way for Spanish colonization of the Americas, wrote the manuscript after being appointed governor of New Spain by the Spanish crown. Mexico’s national archives had counted the document among a collection of papers signed by Cortés but found 15 pages were missing when it was put on microfilm in 1993.
The FBI’s efforts to repatriate stolen cultural property demonstrate the agency’s commitment to protecting historical artifacts and preserving cultural heritage. As Special Agent Dittmer noted, “Pieces like this are considered protected cultural property and represent valuable moments in Mexico’s history, so this is something that the Mexicans have in their archives for the purpose of understanding history better.” The FBI has also stated its determination to locate and repatriate the other pages still missing from the collection.
This repatriation comes at a time of political tension between Mexico and the US, but the FBI’s actions highlight the importance of cooperation in protecting cultural property. The successful return of this document is a testament to the agency’s dedication to preserving historical artifacts and promoting international cooperation.¹