Gaby
The discovery that a four-dollar vase from a thrift store turned out to be an ancient artifact of the Maya civilization has become a true sensation.
Anna Lee Dozier from Washington, D.C., purchased the vase at a local thrift shop that was holding a sale. Among the discounted items, she spotted a vessel priced at $3.99, decorated in the Maya style. It’s worth noting that Anna had previously worked in Mexico with the human rights group Christian Solidarity Worldwide, so it’s no surprise that the vase sparked a wave of nostalgia, transporting her back to those days.
However, Anna initially thought the vase looked old, but not older than 20 to 30 years. Imagine her surprise when she learned that she possessed a genuine treasure.
Shortly after, Ms. Dozier found herself back in Mexico. While visiting Mexico City, she toured the National Museum of Anthropology, where she saw numerous exhibits that reminded her of her own vase. Anna decided to consult with a museum expert, who recommended that she reach out to the Mexican embassy in Washington, D.C. Upon returning home, she showed photographs of the vase at the Mexican embassy, as reported by IFLScience.
The embassy staff was incredibly excited by what they saw. They confirmed that it was indeed a genuine Maya artifact.
Cultural experts studying the vase believe it originally arrived in the United States from the southeastern region of Mexico. The vessel is estimated to be around 1,800 years old, placing it in the classic Maya period, which ultimately declined due to various factors, including drought and Spanish conquest.
Diplomats asked Ms. Dozier to return the ancient vase to the homeland of the Maya. The embassy even organized a ceremony where Anna ceremoniously handed over the artifact to representatives from Mexico and received thanks from its ambassador to the U.S., Esteban Moctezuma Barragan.
Anna Lee Dozier expressed her joy that the artifact would return to its native land and become part of the collection at the National Museum of Anthropology in Mexico. She humorously added, “I’m glad the vase is leaving my home because I have three little boys, and I wouldn’t want them to break a vase that’s two thousand years old.”
In Mexico, the artifact joined 19 other recently discovered items related to the country’s cultural heritage. These relics will enhance a collection of over 13,500 museum exhibits from the Maya civilization that have been uncovered abroad in recent years as part of the Mexican government’s program to repatriate nationally significant artifacts.
