Vienna: Even in the 500th year since the conquest of Mexico, Austria will not give away the Aztec feather headdress from the Welt museum in Vienna.
To commemorate the fall of the Aztec capital Tenochtitlan to the Spanish in August 1521, Mexico had sought to exhibit the object known as Moctezuma's Crown of Feathers in its country of origin.
"Due to the considerable risk of possible damage during transport, the request for a loan cannot be granted," the statement from the State Secretariat for Culture in Vienna said on Sunday.
Austria is aware of the highly symbolic and historical significance of this headdress for Mexico. However, the State Secretariat said a scientific report with Austrian and Mexican participation had established years ago that the object was extremely fragile.
The showpiece of the Welt museum, which translates as World Museum, is made of bright green quetzal feathers and gold plates. It is the only preserved object of its kind in the world.
According to the museum, however, it did not belong to the Aztec ruler Moctezuma II, also known as Montezuma II, but to a priest.
There have been repeated demands from Mexico for the return of the piece, which belonged to the collection of the Habsburg Renaissance prince Ferdinand II and had reached Europe by unknown means.
Blanca Barragan Moctezuma, a descendant of Moctezuma II, plans to force the return with a lawsuit against Austria, she said.
The Secretariat of State did not comment on this plan and also left unanswered the question of whether there were any considerations for a solution. However, the Secretariat of State and the museum stressed that Mexicans always have free admission to the museum. dpa
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