FBI returns stolen 16th-century manuscript signed by conquistador Cortes to Mexico

The FBI has returned a priceless 16th-century manuscript bearing the signature of Spanish conquistador Hernán Cortés to Mexico, officials said Thursday.

Archivists at Mexico’s General Archive of the Nation were shocked when they discovered 15 pages of the manuscript missing during their efforts to microfilm the collection in 1993, with officials believing the rare documents were stolen between then and 1985.

“Pieces like this are considered protected cultural property and represent valuable moments in Mexico’s history,” Special Agent Jessica Dittmer, with the FBI’s Art Crime Team, said as the US handed the documents over.  

The rare manuscript documents detailed payments from New Spain made in pesos of the Mexican gold, all neatly filed away under government expenses for land discovery, with Cortés signing off on the order on Feb. 20, 1527.

The papers offer a rare glimpse into the workings of New Spain, which at the time stretched from Central American to modern-day Washington State.

Cortés’ signature is especially noteworthy given his historical role in expanding Spain’s control over the Americas and colonizing the Mayan and Aztec kingdoms.

At the time of signing, Cortés was serving as the governor of New Spain.

Mexico had tapped the FBI’s Art Crime Team last year for help in tracking down the page that bore Cortés signature, with investigators eventually locating the missing document.

Officials did not say where the relic was located, only that authorities would not prosecute anyone in connection with the original theft since it has been determined that the documents had “changed hands several times over” since it went missing, the FBI said.

“We know how important it is for the United States to stay ahead of this, to support our foreign partners, and to try and make an impact as it relates to the trafficking of these artistic works and antiquities,” said Veh Bezdikian, a supervisory special FBI agent, in a statement. 

Thursday’s exchange was only the second time the FBI has helped track down documents related to Cortés for the Mexican government.

In 2023, the agency located a 16th-century letter penned by Cortés authorizing the purchase of sugar in New Spain.

With Post wires