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Examining the Provenance of Archaeological Material from Southern Central America in Dutch Ethnographic Museums

Abstract

In recent years, Central American countries have more actively developed efforts for the repatriation of archaeological material. In this context, more attention to provenance research on archaeological material from the region is warranted. In this article we examine the acquisition history of the Southern Central American archaeological material currently housed in the Wereldmuseum Leiden and Wereldmuseum Amsterdam. By looking at who supplied material to the museums, where these individuals were based, and how their engagement with these objects was shaped by professional and personal characteristics, we aim to come to a better understanding of the structural and incidental factors that contributed to the formation of these collections. By examining the acquisition history of the 742 objects categorized as archaeological material from the region in these museums, as well as the biographies of the 45 individuals and institutions involved in supplying this material, we conclude that the collecting of Southern Central American archaeological material in the Wereldmuseum Leiden and the Wereldmuseum Amsterdam should be considered in light of mostly US-driven corporate and geopolitical interests in the region. At the same time, we highlight the importance of ‘collection idiosyncrasies’, based on personal relationships and interests, in shaping the collections we have today.