Centuries-old Spanish map recovered in Santa Fe returned to Mexico
The FBI on Sept. 24, 2025 handed over a centuries-old Spanish-era map to Mexican officials at the Mexican consulate in Albuquerque after the document — taken from Mexico’s national archives in 2011 — was identified by Mexican archivists and traced to a Santa Fe library. The map, showing the Camino Real de Tierra Adentro and Native place names across what is now New Mexico and northern Mexico, was authenticated using negatives and microfilm and had been held and protected by the New Mexico History Museum while international repatriation protocols were completed.
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A centuries-old map is returned to Mexico after it was recovered in Santa Fe
New information:
- FBI formally handed the map to Mexican officials at the consulate in Albuquerque on Sept. 24, 2025.
- Mexican archivists determined the document was stolen from the Archivo General in 2011; it was one of 75 missing pieces.
- A librarian at the Fray Angélico Chávez History Library in Santa Fe discovered the map while vetting an item presented for sale; Mexican archivists authenticated it via negatives and microfilm.