Charles Golden aids government in returning stolen Mayan artifacts

Last winter Charles Golden, associate professor of anthropology, received a call from the Department of Immigration that some artifacts from Guatemala, which were legally questionable, were about to be sold at Skinner auction house. The state department, who handles cultural patrimony, asked Golden to take a look.
 
Last Friday those objects were repatriated to Guatemala at a ceremony in the embassy in Washington, D.C. 

Golden is an archeologist whose specialty is Mesoamerica, which runs from Mexico to the middle of Central America. His focus is on the Mayan cultures of Mexico and Central America.

“I made my assessment by observation,” says Golden, “But in some cases the fakes are so good that chemical testing must be done.”

Golden says that he would like to be able to help Guatemala and do something to stop the antiquities trade however he’s able to contribute.

“God forbid that there are more artifacts smuggled into the country, I hope that I’ll be able to help out again,” Golden says.

For more details, see the Feb. 27 story in The Examiner.