The repatriation of a valuable collection of more than 250 Mexican artifacts, including ancient tools, instruments and clay sculptures, which had been in the Parthenon Museum in Nashville since the 1960s, according to a report by NBC News. These artifacts were originally sold by Mexican farmers who deemed them worthless, but are now being returned to Mexico, where they will eventually be exhibited.

Bonnie Seymour, the museum's assistant curator, led the repatriation effort and emphasized the importance of returning these artifacts to their place of origin, despite the context lost over the years. The repatriation was celebrated with cultural events that honored Mexico's history.

The Mexican Consulate in Atlanta is in charge of collecting the artifacts, which are part of a larger effort by the Mexican government to recover more than 13,000 pieces. The return of these items is seen as a recovery of memory and history for the Mexican people.

Nashville, for its part, will preserve the memory of these artifacts through 3D prints that will be part of the museum's educational collection. Artist Jose Vera Gonzalez, who immigrated from Mexico, created works inspired by the artifacts, reflecting the country's rich cultural heritage.

The repatriation is seen as an important step in the preservation and respect for Mexican culture, even if for visitors to the museum it is a bittersweet farewell to these items that were an essential part of the local collection.