Museum officials take off the final protective wrapping that was covering a stone plinth depicting a nobleman or priest probably dating from between 200 B.C. and 200 A.D. during a ceremony to present recently recovered Pre-Hispanic archaeological pieces at the Anthropology Museum in Mexico City, Friday, Sept. 13, 2013. Three pre-Hispanic stone carvings have been returned by the Lowe Art museum in Miami after being illegally removed from Mexico decades ago. (AP Photo/Dario Lopez-Mills)
MEXICO CITY (AP) — Mexicans have received their first chance to see three pre-Hispanic stone carvings that were returned by the Lowe Art museum in Miami after they were apparently removed illegally from Mexico decades ago.
Mexico’s National Institute of Anthropology and History says the three stone pieces depict a serpent, a water god and a priest or nobleman.
While it is hard to say what culture or ruin site they came from, the institute said Friday that experts will study them to try to determine more details.
A flat stone plinth depicting a richly-attired male personage probably dates from between 200 B.C. and 200 A.D.
Another carving depicts the water god Tlaloc and dates to between 700 and 900 A.D. The carving of the serpent’s head dates to between 900 and 1,200 A.D.
