Editor’s Note
This article has been updated to reflect Sotheby’s decision to postpone its auction of artifacts following a formal demand from the Indian government for their return.
Auction house Sotheby’s has postponed the sale of jewels believed to be associated with the remains of Buddha. This decision comes after the Indian government condemned the auction and demanded the return of the artifacts.
In a statement emailed to CNN on the 7th, Sotheby’s explained the decision was made “in light of the issues raised” by Indian authorities. The jewels were excavated over a century ago by a British colonial administrator in India. The postponement was agreed upon by the seller to “allow for discussions between the parties.”
The collection of “relic jewels,” including amethyst, pearls, carnelian, shells, and gold leaf artifacts, was scheduled to be auctioned in Hong Kong on the 7th.
The jewels were discovered in 1898 by William Claxton Peppe, a British colonial engineer excavating his estate in Piprahwa village in northern India. They were put up for auction by three of his descendants.
While Buddha’s birthplace is in present-day Nepal, he attained enlightenment, delivered his first sermon, and died in neighboring India.
On the 5th, India’s Ministry of Culture announced it would take “swift and comprehensive” steps to have the auction “immediately” halted and to “highlight the illegality of the auction to ensure compliance with international law.”
The Indian government welcomed the decision to postpone the auction in a brief statement posted on Facebook on the 7th, saying “details will be shared in due course.”
Peppe’s Birdpore estate was located in present-day Uttar Pradesh, northern India, about 20 kilometers from Lumbini, Buddha’s birthplace in Nepal.
Peppe’s excavation unearthed an ancient stupa and a massive, sarcophagus-like tomb made of sandstone. From an underground chamber, five urns containing around 1,800 pieces of jewels, precious metals, and other items from around 240 BC were found, along with bone fragments and ash.
Inscriptions on one of the urns indicated these were the ashes of Buddha. The ashes of Buddha, who died around 480 BC, were buried in eight separate locations.
Since experts pointed out that this was the first reliable modern discovery of Buddha’s relics, the site has captivated the imagination of Buddhist scholars and devotees.
The jewels offered in this auction represent only a small portion of the excavated items.
The excavated bones and ashes were gifted by Britain to King Chulalongkorn of Siam (present-day Thailand). They are now dispersed among Buddhist holy sites in Thailand, Myanmar, and Sri Lanka.
According to the Indian government, most of the jewels were sent to a museum in Kolkata, India, while Peppe retained about one-fifth (replicas of the main collection).