Educational Media Reviews Online

Museum visitors often take the artifacts they gaze at for granted. They trust the items were removed from their original homes with permission, and the descriptions accompanying the objects are accurate. The placards detailing the history are taken as fact. But are they?

The Absent Stone inspires viewers to consider the origins of museum artifacts. The documentary tells the story of a massive stone pre-Hispanic monument removed from the town of San Miguel Coatlinchan, Mexico in 1964. The monument was moved to the National Museum of Anthropology in Mexico City, where it was labeled as a statue of the male Aztec rain god Tlaloc. Crews working on the removal of the stone faced off with residents vandalizing the truck and statue itself in protest.

Sandra Rozental and Jesse Lerner interview locals, archaeologists and others connected to the stone, presenting several sides of the story. According to locals, the statue actually represents a woman deity - variously referred to as the Lady of the Waters or Chalchiuhtlicue, Tlaloc’s female companion. Residents of San Miguel Coatlinchan regret the removal of the stone from their hometown. They believe it was stolen. Yet another interviewee reads from a decree written by the town’s mayor and signed by the residents allowing the statue to be removed. Younger residents with no memories of the stone work together to preserve the history of their town, lamenting the loss of their culture and language. Engineers and crew members that worked vigorously to successfully move the massive monument share their pride at having taken part in such an accomplishment.

Interviews are interspersed with historical footage, humorous cartoons and images of a popular comic book published on the topic. The cartoon cutaways are reminiscent of the silly animation featured in Monty Python films and shows. These cartoons are amusing, but they divert attention from the solemnity of the main story. Despite these distractions, the film is worth viewing to learn more about Mexican and Aztec culture, and the controversy surrounding removing artifacts from their homes for educational purposes. This documentary is recommended for high school, academic and public libraries.

Awards:

Ann Arbor Film Festival Jury Award 2014