Published on Wednesday, December 3, 2025
By the A.M. Costa Rica staff

The National Museum has received seven pre-Hispanic ceramic artifacts that were held in a private collection belonging to the late U.S. archaeologist Don C. Miller.


The pieces were identified by museum archaeologists who specialize in studying human history through material remains.


The artifacts, created by some of the earliest inhabitants of Costa Rica before the arrival of Spanish colonizers in the 16th century, include ceramic vessels, spear points and other stone tools likely used for food preparation. The items are believed to be more than 2,000 years old.


Those part of one of the largest seizures of archaeological items ever made in the United States. According to the FBI and the U.S. Embassy, hundreds of archaeological objects were confiscated in 2014 from Miller’s property.


Authorities estimate Miller amassed more than 40,000 items during decades of travel throughout the Americas, Asia, the Caribbean and the Indo-Pacific, among other regions.

However, experts have been able to identify the origins of only about 7,000 of the pre-Columbian pieces. They also estimate that Miller possessed at least 500 items containing human remains from early inhabitants of the continent.

Because most of the artifacts lacked provenance records, U.S. specialists began analyzing the collection in 2019. To date, only about 15% of the seized items have been returned to their countries of origin.

In 2022, the U.S. Embassy coordinated with the National Museum of Costa Rica to examine a group of objects suspected to be Costa Rican. After the studies were completed, experts confirmed several pieces originated from ancient communities in what is now Costa Rica.

“Coordination between our countries to protect cultural property disrupts illicit international networks that often overlap with other crimes,” said Jennifer Savage, the new chargé d’affaires. “Disrupting these crimes makes the United States, Costa Rica and our region as a whole safer.”

The museum said the restitution of these cultural objects represents an act of historical justice and recognizes the significance of Costa Rica’s heritage. “This strengthens our mission to safeguard historical memory and ensure these artifacts remain accessible for research, education and the enjoyment of society,” the museum added.

The National Museum now houses the centuries-old objects as part of the country’s archaeological heritage. Since 1986, Costa Rica has recovered nearly 4,000 archaeological artifacts from countries across the Americas and Europe, authorities said.

Most recently, the country received pre-Columbian items from the Netherlands, including vessels, pots and ceremonial masks once held at the KIT Royal Tropical Institute in Amsterdam.

In a related development, a team of archaeologists unearthed a collection of pre-Columbian artifacts in October in the backyard of a home in Alajuela Province.

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Have you seen pre-Columbian collections with Costa Rican pieces exhibited in other countries?  We would like to know your thoughts on this story. Send your comments to news@amcostarica.com