The Catholic theology referenced in the letter was written by Spanish Dominican priest Domingo de Vico, one of the first Christian missionaries to the Highland Maya. As there are no surviving copies as written by Vico, Professor Sparks’ research is based on the examination of second or third-generation copies from the late 1500s and beyond.
Princeton University Library (PUL) received these copies, along with most of its Mesoamerican collection, as a gift in 1946 from Robert S. Garrett, Class of 1897, who had purchased them in 1930 from early Mayanist William E. Gates.
PUL works closely with campus leadership to review, on an ongoing basis, issues of provenance and repatriation inherent to its stewardship of numerous significant historical artifacts. The Library also endeavors to empower scholars and students to work closely with these materials. One example of this includes the co-sponsorship of up to eight Mexican and Guatemalan scholars, led by Professor Sparks, for a weeklong on-campus workshop to study, understand, and promote the scholarship of this collection.
Editor’s note: Daniel J. Linke is acting associate university librarian for special collections, and Gabriel Swift is the librarian for Early American collections.
The Catholic theology referenced in the letter was written by Spanish Dominican priest Domingo de Vico, one of the first Christian missionaries to the Highland Maya. As there are no surviving copies as written by Vico, Professor Sparks’ research is based on the examination of second or third-generation copies from the late 1500s and beyond.
Princeton University Library (PUL) received these copies, along with most of its Mesoamerican collection, as a gift in 1946 from Robert S. Garrett, Class of 1897, who had purchased them in 1930 from early Mayanist William E. Gates.
PUL works closely with campus leadership to review, on an ongoing basis, issues of provenance and repatriation inherent to its stewardship of numerous significant historical artifacts. The Library also endeavors to empower scholars and students to work closely with these materials. One example of this includes the co-sponsorship of up to eight Mexican and Guatemalan scholars, led by Professor Sparks, for a weeklong on-campus workshop to study, understand, and promote the scholarship of this collection.
Editor’s note: Daniel J. Linke is acting associate university librarian for special collections, and Gabriel Swift is the librarian for Early American collections.