"I Thought It Was a Tourist Product"... The Identity of the Vase Bought for 5,500 Won

A Woman Purchased at an Antique Shop
Sent to Museum via Mexican Embassy

A cheap vase purchased at a supermarket in Maryland, USA, has attracted attention after dating tests confirmed it to be a 2,000-year-old artifact from the ancient Maya civilization.

Foreign media such as 'The Independent' reported on the 19th (local time) that Anna Lee Dozier, a woman living in Washington, Maryland, recently acquired a 2,000-year-old Maya civilization pottery piece.

Anna is an ordinary woman who recently discovered a vase with a unique pattern while shopping at a secondhand store. She told a local broadcaster, "The vase looked old, and I thought it was about 20 to 30 years old," adding, "It seemed like a tourist souvenir, so I brought it home." The vase was priced at $3.99 (about 5,500 KRW). Afterward, Anna said she hardly paid attention to the vase while it was at home.

Ancient Mayan civilization pottery discovered at an antique shop in Maryland, USA [Image source=YouTube capture]

Her renewed interest in the vase came after a business trip to Mexico. The pottery displayed at a local anthropology museum was strikingly similar to the vase she had recently purchased.

Anna approached the museum staff and told them, "The vase in my home resembles the artifact on display." The staff found her story intriguing and advised her to contact the Mexican embassy once she returned home. Following their advice, Anna shared photos and measurements of the vase with the Mexican embassy.

Soon after, the identity of the vase was revealed. Surprisingly, the antique vase Anna bought for $3.99 was estimated to have been made between 200 and 800 BCE, making it an ancient Maya artifact.

Anna reportedly returned the vase to the Mexican ambassador. She said, "I am glad to have helped repatriate the artifact," and added, "It is fortunate that the pottery is going back to where it belongs."

She also joked, "There are three young children in our house, so it’s not a suitable place to keep ancient artifacts," and "I’m relieved that the artifact, which was made 2,000 years ago, was not damaged." The Maya artifact is now scheduled to be displayed at Mexico's Museum of Anthropology.

Occasionally, rare items are discovered in American antique shops. Recently, in Virginia, a vase sold for $3.99 was later identified as a 1942 work by a famous designer, causing a stir. The vase was auctioned and eventually sold for $107,000 (about 147.92 million KRW).