The Instituto Nacional de Antropología e Historia (INAH, ''National Institute of Anthropology and History'') is a
Mexican federal government bureau established in 1939 to guarantee the research, preservation, protection, and promotion of the prehistoric,
archaeological
Archaeology or archeology is the scientific study of human activity through the recovery and analysis of material culture. The archaeological record consists of artifacts, architecture, biofacts or ecofacts, sites, and cultural landsca ...
,
anthropological
Anthropology is the scientific study of humanity, concerned with human behavior, human biology, cultures, societies, and linguistics, in both the present and past, including past human species. Social anthropology studies patterns of behavi ...
,
historical
History (derived ) is the systematic study and the documentation of the human activity. The time period of event before the invention of writing systems is considered prehistory. "History" is an umbrella term comprising past events as well ...
, and
paleontological heritage of
Mexico
Mexico ( Spanish: México), officially the United Mexican States, is a country in the southern portion of North America. It is bordered to the north by the United States; to the south and west by the Pacific Ocean; to the southeast by Gua ...
. Its creation has played a key role in preserving the
Mexican cultural heritage. Its current national headquarters are housed in the
Palace of the Marqués del Apartado.
INAH and the
Instituto Nacional de Bellas Artes y Literatura are tasked with cataloging and protecting monuments and buildings regarded as cultural patrimony.
INAH is entrusted with 'archaeological' (pre-Hispanic and paleontological) and 'historical' (post-Conquest 16th to 19th centuries) structures, zones and remnants, while INBAL is entrusted with 'artistic' buildings and monuments (properties that are of significant aesthetic value as deemed by a commission).
Worthy edifices are catalogued in the ''Registro Público de Monumentos y Zonas Arqueológicos e Históricos'' (Public Register of Archeological and Historic Monuments and Zones).
Currently, the INAH carries out its work through a Technical Secretariat which supervises the performance of its main duties and whose tasks are distributed among its seven National Coordination Offices and 31 Regional Centers throughout the
states of the Mexico.
This bureau is responsible for the over 110,000 historical monuments, built between the 16th and 19th centuries, and for 29,000 of Mexico's estimated 200,000
pre-Columbian
In the history of the Americas, the pre-Columbian era spans from the original settlement of North and South America in the Upper Paleolithic period through European colonization, which began with Christopher Columbus's voyage of 1492. Usually, ...
archeological zones found throughout the country. One hundred and fifty of the archeological sites are open to the public.
The INAH also supervises over a hundred museums. These are found across the country and are categorized according to the extension and quality of their collections, geographical locations, and number of visitors. Over 500
Teotihuacan
Teotihuacan ( Spanish: ''Teotihuacán'') (; ) is an ancient Mesoamerican city located in a sub-valley of the Valley of Mexico, which is located in the State of Mexico, northeast of modern-day Mexico City. Teotihuacan is known today as t ...
murals are in storage at the INAH.
Emeriti
The INAH recognises its most famous researchers with the Emeritus degree. As of 2009, only 16 individuals have been named emeritus researchers:
* Dra. Beatriz Barba Ahuatzin
* Dra. Beatriz Braniff Cornejo
* Dr. Fernando Cámara Barbachano
* Dra. Johanna Faulhaber Kamman (1911–2000)
* Arqlgo. Francisco González Rul Hernández C. (1920–2005)
* Dra.
Doris Heydenreich Zelz (1915–2006)
* Dra. Sonia Lombardo Pérez Salazar
* Mtro. Leonardo Manrique Castañeda (1934–2003)
* Mtro.
Eduardo Matos Moctezuma
* Dra.
Margarita Nolasco Armas
* Dr. Julio César Olive Negrete
* Mtra. Alicia Olivera Sedano
* Dr. Román Piña Chan (1920–2001)
* Mtro. Arturo Romano Pacheco
* Mtro. Javier Romero Molina (1910–1986)
* Mtro.
Constantino Reyes-Valerio (1922–2006)
See also
*
Museo Nacional de Antropología
*
Doris Heyden
*
Returned Treasures Program
References
*
*
External links
INAH websiteEscuela Nacional de Conservación, Restauración y Museografía
{{DEFAULTSORT:INAH
*
Government of Mexico
History museums in Mexico
Anthropology museums
Mesoamerican studies
Pre-Columbian studies
Heritage registers in Mexico
World Digital Library partners