By Belize Live News Staff: The British Museum, known for its free admission policy, has stirred controversy by charging $225 BZD for a photograph of a looted Maya artifact—the Xunantunich altar of the Maya god of death. The altar, taken from Belize nearly a century ago, remains absent from the museum’s online gallery, leaving Belizeans unable to see this piece of their heritage.
The altar, seized by British archaeologist Thomas Gann during an expedition to the Xunantunich ruins in 1924, has never been displayed publicly. Gann, who prided himself on collecting Maya artifacts, used a stone saw to remove and trim the altar for transport. In his 1925 book Mystery Cities, Gann openly admitted to taking the altar, detailing how it was carried by a local worker to the riverbank after Gann provided him with three glasses of rum.
The altar sat unregistered in the British Museum’s storeroom for decades, only being cataloged in 1991. To this day, it remains locked away, never exhibited for the public or returned to Belize.
Adding to the controversy is the museum’s hefty charge for those wanting to see a photo of the artifact. The $225 BZD price comes with a month-long wait for delivery, though expedited service is available for an additional $119 BZD, bringing the total cost to $349 BZD.
Belizeans, many of whom feel a deep connection to their Maya heritage, are outraged at the museum’s policies. No living Belizean has ever seen the Xunantunich altar in person or photograph, and the relic’s condition—marked by Gann’s saw—has been hidden from its rightful owners.
For Belize, this saga highlights a painful chapter of colonial exploitation. Despite being a Commonwealth nation, Belize is denied access to its own cultural treasures, now held captive in foreign storage rooms.
The altar, which once stood for 1,300 years at the ancient Maya city of Xunantunich, remains a symbol of loss for Belize, while the British Museum profits from this dark chapter in history.
