Brooklyn Museum gives artifacts to Costa Rica

The Brooklyn Museum is cleaning house and will give thousands of pre-Columbian artifacts from its collection to Costa Rica.

The works were acquired legally by railroad magnate Minor Keith in the late 1800s. Costa Rica had never claimed ownership to the works.

Museum curator Nancy Rosoff says it will initially give the National Museum of Costa Rica 983 ceramic vessels and figurines. It hopes eventually to transfer another 4,000 Keith objects to the Central American nation.

Costa Rica will pay for the packing and transportation costs.
Rosoff says the works are more appropriate for a museum with an archaeology or anthropology theme.

The Brooklyn Museum will keep the most valuable items, about 10 percent of the collection. These include gold and jade figurines and pendants.