With support from the University of Richmond

History News Network

History News Network puts current events into historical perspective. Subscribe to our newsletter for new perspectives on the ways history continues to resonate in the present. Explore our archive of thousands of original op-eds and curated stories from around the web. Join us to learn more about the past, now.

Pre-Columbian Figurine Seized At Airport To Be Returned

A gathering is planned in San Francisco today to celebrate the repatriation of a pre-Columbian figurine seized from a passenger at Oakland International Airport earlier this year.

The 2.5-inch figurine was confiscated on Feb. 10 from the luggage of a man arriving in Oakland from Mexico, U.S. Customs and Border Protection spokeswoman JoAnn Winks said.

The passenger claimed he found the artifact in Ameca, a city in the state of Jalisco in western Mexico, but there were some "inconsistencies" in his story, Winks said.

The man was not detained but agreed to sign a form relinquishing property rights to the item, she said.

Over the past several months, the federal agency has tried to determine the historical nature of the figurine, seeking the help of the University of San Francisco, Stanford University, and the University of Colorado, according to Winks.

Experts determined that the figurine was created by indigenous people in the Ameca area during the pre-Columbian era, meaning it is at least 500 years old, she said.

The artifact is being returned to the Consulate General of Mexico in accordance with a treaty between the U.S. and Mexico for the recovery and return of stolen archaeological, historical and cultural property, Winks said....
Read entire article at San Francisco Appeal