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United States Returns ‘Earth Monster’ Olmec Sculpture to Mexico

Colorado Lt. Gov. Dianne Primavera, left, is shown a photograph of "Monument 9," an Olmec civilization statue that is believed to represent an "earth monster," before a part of the creation was repatriated Friday, May 19, 2023, in Denver. (AP)
Colorado Lt. Gov. Dianne Primavera, left, is shown a photograph of "Monument 9," an Olmec civilization statue that is believed to represent an "earth monster," before a part of the creation was repatriated Friday, May 19, 2023, in Denver. (AP)
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United States Returns ‘Earth Monster’ Olmec Sculpture to Mexico

Colorado Lt. Gov. Dianne Primavera, left, is shown a photograph of "Monument 9," an Olmec civilization statue that is believed to represent an "earth monster," before a part of the creation was repatriated Friday, May 19, 2023, in Denver. (AP)
Colorado Lt. Gov. Dianne Primavera, left, is shown a photograph of "Monument 9," an Olmec civilization statue that is believed to represent an "earth monster," before a part of the creation was repatriated Friday, May 19, 2023, in Denver. (AP)

Mexico announced Friday that a huge 2,500-year-old Olmec stone sculpture has been returned from the United States.

The almost six-foot-tall (two-meter) “Monster of the Earth” sculpture appears to represent the gaping maw of a monster that is big enough to swallow people, and may represent a symbolic entrance to the underworld.

Experts say the sculpture is important because of the insights it provides on the cosmological vision of the Olmecs, considered a founding culture of Meso-America.

Foreign Relations Secretary Marcelo Ebrard said the sculpture was handed over at the Mexican consulate in Denver, Colorado, on Friday.

Experts believe the sculpture was taken clandestinely in the 1960s from Chalcatzingo, a lesser-known ruin site south of Mexico City.

“It was like an open wound, not having this artifact,” Ebrard said.

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Saudi Capital Guest of Honor as Riyadh Pavilion Opens at Buenos Aires Book Fair

Saudi Capital Guest of Honor as Riyadh Pavilion Opens at Buenos Aires Book Fair
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Saudi Capital Guest of Honor as Riyadh Pavilion Opens at Buenos Aires Book Fair

Saudi Capital Guest of Honor as Riyadh Pavilion Opens at Buenos Aires Book Fair

The Saudi Literature, Publishing and Translation Commission officially launched the Riyadh pavilion at the 49th Buenos Aires International Book Fair in Argentina.

The event, running from April 22 to May 12, features the Saudi capital as the guest of honor.
The commission leads Riyadh's participation in the fair, with a Saudi delegation that reflects the vibrant cultural and literary scene in Saudi Arabia with representatives from the Theater and Performing Arts Commission, the Heritage Commission, and the Ministry of Islamic Affairs, Dawah and Guidance.
The King Fahd Glorious Quran Printing Complex, the King Abdulaziz Foundation for Research and Archives, and the King Salman Global Academy for Arabic Language (KSGAAL) are also represented, alongside the King Abdulaziz Public Library and the King Fahad National Library. Together, they aim to create a window for the fair's audience to experience Saudi culture, attracting visitors from Argentina and around the world, the Saudi Press Agency (SPA) reported.
The Riyadh pavilion enhances the Saudi cultural presence in Latin America, introducing the capital as a model of civilization that reflects the transformative Saudi Vision 2030, SPA said.

It features a diverse array of literary and cultural content, including translations into Spanish to help build bridges of cultural understanding, it added.
Literature, Publishing and Translation Commission chief executive Abdullatif Alwasel, Buenos Aires Chief of Government Jorge Macri, Buenos Aires' Minister of Culture Gabriela Ricardes, and Argentina's Fundación El Libro (the Book Foundation) president, Christian Rainone, witnessed the launch of the Riyadh pavilion.