2,000-Year-Old Mayan Vase Discovered in Maryland Thrift Store For $4

An ancient Mayan vase has found its way back to its rightful home after being purchased for just $3.99 at a local thrift store. What began as an ordinary day of bargain hunting for Anna Lee Dozier turned into a historical revelation that has fascinated the local community and beyond.

2,000-Year-Old Mayan Vase Discovered in DC Thrift Store

Five years ago, Dozier, an avid thrifter, stumbled upon a vase on the clearance rack of the 2A Thrift Store in Clinton, Maryland. "It looked old-ish," Dozier recounted. "I thought maybe it was a tourist reproduction from 20 or 30 years ago, so I brought it home."

Five Years Later...

Fast forward to January of this year, and Dozier was on a work trip to Mexico. While visiting the Museum of Anthropology, she noticed artifacts that bore a striking resemblance to her thrift store find. Intrigued, she inquired about the process of repatriating potentially ancient items.

Dozier followed the advice of a museum staff member and contacted the Mexican embassy upon her return to the U.S... A month later, after sending photos and dimensions of the vase, she received astounding news: her $3.99 vase was an authentic Mayan ceremonial urn dating back to between 200 and 800 AD.

Dozier Shared Her Excitement

"I am thrilled to have played a part in its repatriation story," Dozier said, expressing her relief at handing over the ancient artifact. "But I also want it out of my home because I have three little boys, and I was petrified that after two thousand years, I would be the one to wreck it!"

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Getting The Priceless Vase Back To The Museum

On Monday evening, Dozier and her family met with Mexican Ambassador Esteban Moctezuma Barragán during an official ceremony at the Cultural Institute of Mexico, where she formally returned the vase. The ceremony was a heartfelt occasion, highlighting the importance of cultural heritage and the preservation of history.

“Human rights extend to culture and history,” Dozier said in her prepared statement at the ceremony. Having worked as a human rights advocate with Indigenous communities in Mexico, Dozier felt honored to contribute to the preservation of a piece of Mayan history.

Extremely Grateful For The Return

Ambassador Moctezuma Barragán expressed his gratitude, emphasizing the significance of recognizing and honoring one's roots. "When you have strong roots, you know them and you honor them," he said. "She recognized that a whole country, a whole culture cares about it, and we are deeply in gratitude with her."

The Cultural Institute of Mexico regularly facilitates the return of artifacts, with 90 percent of the items deemed authentic. The artifacts collected on Monday will be carefully packed and shipped to the Museum of Anthropology in Mexico for final analysis before being displayed in one of the country’s museums.