LAUSR

Let $$(G,{\mathfrak {X}})$$ ( G , X ) be a Shimura datum and K a neat open compact subgroup of $$G(\mathbb {A}_f)$$ G ( A f ) . Under mild hypothesis on $$(G,{\mathfrak {X}})$$ ( G , X ) , the canonical construction associates a variation of Hodge structure on $$\text {Sh}_K(G,{\mathfrak {X}})(\mathbb {C})$$ Sh K ( G , X ) ( C ) to a representation of G. It is conjectured that this should be of motivic origin. Specifically, there should be a lift of the canonical construction which takes values in relative Chow motives over $$\text {Sh}_K(G,{\mathfrak {X}})$$ Sh K ( G , X ) and is functorial in $$(G,{\mathfrak {X}})$$ ( G , X ) . Using the formalism of mixed Shimura varieties, we show that such a motivic lift exists on the full subcategory of representations of Hodge type $$\{(-1,0),(0,-1)\}$$ { ( - 1 , 0 ) , ( 0 , - 1 ) } . If $$(G,{\mathfrak {X}})$$ ( G , X ) is equipped with a choice of PEL-datum, Ancona has defined a motivic lift for all representations of G. We show that this is independent of the choice of PEL-datum and give criteria for it to be compatible with base change. Additionally, we provide a classification of Shimura data of PEL-type and demonstrate that the canonical construction is applicable in this context.