In 2019, Anna Lee Dozier, who lives in Washington, DC, bought a vase at a local thrift store. The piece, which is richly decorated with Maya-like imagery, was in a clearance sale and only cost $3.99. However, it turns out this Maya-like decoration was authentic, and the vase is a genuine ancient artifact.

“It did look old to me, but not old-old, like 20 to 30 years old, maybe,” Dozier told NPR.

For Dozier, the vase had special significance even before she knew it was a real artifact. This is because she had worked in Mexico for the human rights advocacy group Christian Solidarity Worldwide, so the vase struck her as a reminder of those days.

Then, five years later, Dozier visited the National Museum of Anthropology in Mexico City, and noticed that the piece was strikingly similar to some of the other objects on display. Although she was still not convinced she had a real Maya object on her hands, she nevertheless decided to consult a museum specialist who then recommended she contact the Mexican embassy in Washington. Dozier then sent them photos of the vase.

The embassy was extremely excited by what they saw and, after confirming it was a real Maya object, they requested it back.

“I am thrilled to have played a part in its repatriation story. I would like it to go back to its rightful place and to where it belongs,” Dozier told WUSA, a CBS affiliate, as reported by NBC 15 News. “But I also want it out of my home because I have three little boys and I have been petrified that after two thousand years I would be the one to wreck it!”

According to a post on X, Mexico’s ambassador to the US, Esteban Moctezuma Barragán, said the vase is a “valuable witness of our Maya history” that has been returned “thanks to the generosity of [Anna] Lee Dozier.”

“This historic jewel will be reintegrated within the collection of [Mexico’s National Museum of Anthropology and History] to preserve our rich cultural heritage.”

The vase itself is thought to come from the southeast of the country and is likely between 1,800 and 1,200 years old. This would place it within the timeline of the Maya Classical period, which eventually declined due to various factors, including droughts, civil conflict, and eventual conquest by the Spanish.

In addition to this precious and serendipitous object, the Mexican embassy in the US received 19 other archaeological pieces that were donated anonymously. These pieces will also be returned to Mexico where they will be kept in the care of the National Institute of Anthropology and History.   

All these objects will join more than 13,500 others that have been recovered in recent years as part of the Mexican government’s strategy of committing itself to recovering artifacts related to its national heritage that are located abroad.