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127-Year-Old Piprahwa Buddha Relics Repatriated and Unveiled in New Delhi
- India secured the return of the sacred Piprahwa gems linked to early Buddhism after they were removed during British colonial rule.
- The relics were set to be auctioned by Sotheby's in Hong Kong in May, but India's culture ministry intervened by sending a formal demand to halt the sale and request the return of the gems.
- The gems, excavated in 1898 by English engineer William Claxton Peppe in Piprahwa village near Buddha's birthplace, represent a key archaeological and spiritual heritage.
- Sotheby’s announced that after a two-month effort to find an appropriate custodian, it successfully helped arrange for the Piprahwa Gems to be returned to India.
- The relics have been legally classified as protected antiquities in India and will soon be exhibited to the public, marking a notable milestone in cultural heritage recovery and repatriation efforts.
45 Articles
45 Articles
Buddha Relics Head Home After Auction Outcry
Sotheby's has handed back to India a trove of 2,500-year-old jewels believed to be linked to the Buddha's remains following global outcry and an intense diplomatic campaign. The so-called Piprahwa Gems, unearthed in 1898 from a stupa near the Buddha's birthplace and considered one of archaeology's greatest finds, were...
Heritage: A centuries-old collection of jewelry has returned to India after 127 years. In May, Sotheby's was expected to sell the stones, excavated by a Briton, to the highest…
Ancient Buddha gems put up for auction return to India after 127 years. Why are they significant?
India has successfully brought back a set of relics linked to Buddha's remains, more than a hundred years after they were taken during British rule. Notably, the jewels were originally discovered in northern India in 1898. They were due to be auctioned by Sotheby’s in Hong Kong in May, but the sale was stopped after the Indian government sent a legal notice demanding their return
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- 35% of the sources lean Left, 35% of the sources are Center
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