Mary Lou Ridinger facts for kids

Mary Lou Ridinger, born in 1945 in Fort Worth, Texas, is an American archaeologist. She studied Latin American history at the University of Colorado Boulder. She also earned a master's degree in Archaeology from the University of the Americas. After college, Mary Lou lived in San Miguel de Allende, Mexico. She worked on many archaeological digs there. This included digging before Mexico City's subway was built. She is famous for finding ancient jade quarries in Guatemala. These sites had been lost since the time of the Spanish Conquest of the Americas.

Finding Ancient Jade in Guatemala

Mary Lou Ridinger is known for finding places where ancient Maya people got their jadeite jade. These are called "in-situ" sites, meaning the jade was found right where it formed. Before her, in 1952, Robert E. Leslie found the first documented in-situ jadeite quarry. This was in the Motagua River valley in Guatemala.

In 1975, Mary Lou and her husband, Jay Ridinger, found three more jadeite sources. These were also in the Motagua River valley of Guatemala. They also found tools and signs that ancient Maya artists worked the jade right at these sites.

In later years, the Ridingers found new kinds of jade. In 1987, they found a dark jade with shiny specks. They called it "Galactic Jade." Then, in 1998, they discovered a beautiful lavender type of jadeite.

Bringing Jade Back to Guatemala

Today, jade crafts and jewelry are very important in Guatemala. In 1975, Mary Lou and Jay Ridinger started Jades S.A. This was the first modern jade workshop in the Western Hemisphere. They taught people how to carve this very hard stone. Organizations like The Explorers Club recognize Mary Lou. They see her as the person who started the modern jade business in Guatemala.

Important people like President Bill Clinton and actor Robert Redford have visited her business. It is located in Antigua Guatemala. They have praised her work. Jades S.A. now has a large museum. It shows the history of how the Maya and Olmec people used jade.

Public Recognition for Her Work

Mary Lou Ridinger has been featured in many places. She appeared in National Geographic magazine in September 1987. She was also on the Discovery Channel in June 1999, in a show called "The Mystery of Jade." Many other books and media have shared her story. A book called Stone of Kings (2012) by Gerard Helferich tells the story of Mary Lou and Jay Ridinger.

Helping Preserve Maya History

In 2008, Mary Lou and her sister, Georgeann Johnson, started The Maya Conservancy. This is a non-profit group. They helped stop a highway project from going through the Izapa archaeological site. The Maya Conservancy works to protect ancient Maya sites in Central America and Mexico. They also help save Maya culture. They offer guidance and help to governments and other groups. Important Maya scholars are part of their board.