Human head with an animal-head hat,

500 BCE–200 CE

The rugged terrain, relatively limited infrastructure, and general inhospitality to archaeological research of the region encompassed by the present-day Mexican state of Guerrero have left the state’s various ancient cultures less studied than those from other parts of Mesoamerica. At the same time, the region, particularly the towns of Iguala and Taxco, has long been an abundant font of ancient art that moved into both the Mexican and international markets.

Gillett Griffin (1928–2016), the Museum’s first curator of the art of the ancient Americas, regularly visited Guerrero and explored many of its ancient sites. Griffin acquired artifacts for his own and the Museum’s collections from Mexican dealers, American expatriate collectors, and Indigenous residents, among others. The Museum continues to research the collecting histories of these objects, examining the ethical implications of when and how objects were transferred from their sites of origin and asking critical questions about our continued stewardship.