Alfredo Chavero | |
|---|---|
 | |
| President of the Chamber of Deputies | |
| In office 16 September 1890 – 30 September 1890 | |
| Succeeded by | Francisco Mejía |
| Member of theChamber of Deputies forSan Luis Potosí′s 9th district | |
| In office 16 September 1902 – 15 September 1904 | |
| Member of theChamber of Deputies forZacatecas′s 9th district | |
| In office 16 September 1888 – 15 September 1902 | |
| Member of theChamber of Deputies for theFederal District′s2nd district | |
| In office 16 September 1878 – 15 September 1880 | |
| Personal details | |
| Born | 1841 (1841) |
| Died | 1906 (aged 64–65) |
Alfredo Chavero (1841–1906) was a Mexicanarchaeologist, politician, poet, and dramatist.
According toHoward F. Cline, "Chavero's most enduring claim to remembrance rests...on [his] completion and extension ofRamírez's plans to republish major native histories and his editorship of pictorial documents."[1]
Chavero conducted numerous investigations on Mexican antiquities. He publishedHistoria Antigua de Mexico, as well as several works onAztec archaeology, especially on ancient monuments. While excavating thepyramids of Cholula, he discovered some idols that are now in theNational Museum of Mexico. His books are often referred to because of his research onFather Sahagún and to theSun Stone. .
Chavero became a member of the Mexican Congress in 1869. He supported the Mexican presidentsBenito Juárez,Sebastián Lerdo de Tejada,Manuel González, andPorfirio Díaz in succession, notwithstanding their different policies.
On 25 June 1879, the government of Diaz ordered the execution of nine citizens ofVeracruz who were suspected ofconspiracy. This act was severely criticised. This resulted in great public indignation against Mier y Terán, who had executed the order, and Diaz. Chavero was at the time grand master of amasonic lodge and expelled Mier y Terán from the brotherhood. Cavero also suspended Diaz from his masonic rights. These actions garnered great popularity Chavero. In the Mexican Congress, Chavero held a roaring speech against Mier y Terán and Diaz. Afterwards Chavero reconciled with Diaz. Chavero was elected senator in 1886, and was professor for mining, teaching also at law schools of Mexico.
Chavero was elected a member of theAmerican Antiquarian Society in 1881.[2]
When the Mexican government proposed the Law of Monuments (1897), which passed overwhelmingly in the Mexican Congress, Chavero opposed the provision banned the export of Mexican artifacts, which in his view "hindered the flow of artifacts tomuseums abroad and thus obstructed the cause ofscience."[3]
At the 1902International Congress of Americanists in New York, Chavero gave some credit to the French project headed byJoseph Florimond Loubat for major discoveries atMonte Albán. This public declaration before the International Congress of Americanists, including those byEduard Seler andFranz Boas, were interrupted byLeopoldo Batres, inspector national monuments and Chavero's rival. Batres had excavated at Monte Albán and strenuously objected to Chavero's assertions, since the work was paid for by the Mexican government.[4]
Chavero donated theChavero Codex of Huexotzingo to theNational Museum of Mexico in 1906.[5]
Chavero is the author of the dramas “La Reina Xochitl” and “La tempestad de un beso,” “Quetzalcoatl,” “Los amores de Alarcón,” “La hermana de los Ávilas,” “El mundo de ahora,” and more.
A selected list of Chavero's writings of ethnohistorical interest is published in theHandbook of Middle American Indians.[6]
