1 of their sources) have been published in German, which has not been helpful in bringing the results to the attention of the Anglophone and Hispanic professional audience. The present paper will be discussing these problems specifically in relation to one of the most important collections of this kind, the Aztec and Mixtec treasures now preserved at the Museum f�r V�lkerkunde in Vienna, whose presence in Austrian repositories dates from the 16th century. It will likewise deal with three 16th century Tarascan pieces of featherwork from Mexico now preserved at the museum. In order to clarify the history of these unique objects three lines of inquiry will be pursued. A brief account of the history of research on the Mexicana now in Vienna, from their rediscovery in the late 19th century to the present, will summarize the arguments that have been advanced by past and present scholars as to the identity of these items with the so-called “presents of Moctezuma1 to Cort�s,” as well as other pertinent ideas. A second section will examine the documentary record associated with the individual objects in an effort to establish their continuity over time as far back as possible. Finally, there will be an attempt to see what really happened to “Moctezuma’s presents” before and their arrival in Europe.