For the first time in 186 years, the rare 16th-century manuscript Codex Azcatitlán has gone on display in Mexico. Held in France’s Bibliothèque Nationale since 1898, the historic document depicts the Aztec civilization’s history and its conflict with Spanish conquistadors, returning temporarily to mark two centuries of bilateral relations.
Codex Azcatitlán Returns to Mexico After More Than a Century Abroad
A centuries-old manuscript chronicling the history and eventual fall of the Aztec civilization is currently back on public view in Mexico for the first time in nearly two centuries, according to reporting from the BBC. Known as Codex Azcatitlán, the artifact features pictograms detailing the story of the Aztecs, including their military resistance against the arrival of Spanish conquistadors like Hernán Cortés.
The manuscript is widely regarded as one of the most insightful and valuable primary accounts of Aztec history. While it has been housed in France’s Bibliothèque Nationale since 1898, the document had already spent decades outside of Mexico prior to that archival placement. It is thought that the codex was drawn during the 16th century, shortly after the arrival of European forces in what is now modern-day Mexico.
Diplomatic Exchange Marks 200 Years of Franco-Mexican Relations
The exhibition in Mexico City is part of a reciprocal cultural exchange arranged between governments to celebrate two centuries of diplomatic ties between France and Mexico. The temporary swap of historical documents was agreed upon by Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum and French counterpart Emmanuel Macron during Macron’s visit to Mexico last year.
Under the terms of the bilateral loan agreement, France sent Codex Azcatitlán across the Atlantic, while Mexico agreed to lend its own priceless manuscript, the Codex Boturini, for exhibition in France. The Codex Boturini utilizes pictograms to narrate the migration of the Aztecs—also referred to as the Mexica—from their ancestral homeland to the shores of Lake Texcoco, where they ultimately established the city of Tenochtitlán.
Broader Repatriation Efforts and National Museum Exhibition
Mexico’s ministry of foreign relations reported that over 2,000 objects were successfully repatriated to the country last year alone, reflecting a sustained government push to bring national heritage items home.
Visitors hoping to view the manuscript will find it exhibited at the National Museum of Anthropology in Mexico City, with public viewings scheduled to open on Thursday. The exhibition brings together two intertwined chapters of early Mexican history—the migration recorded in the Codex Boturini and the clash with European powers detailed in the pages of Codex Azcatitlán.
