Sotheby’s has postponed the auction of the Piprahwa Gems, ancient gems linked to the Buddha’s remains, after the Indian government threatened legal action and demanded their return. The auction, originally scheduled for Wednesday in Hong Kong, was postponed with the agreement of the consignors, three descendants of a British colonial landowner who excavated the gems in 1898. The Indian government criticized the auction as offensive to the 500 million Buddhists worldwide and a violation of both Indian and international law.
These gems, part of a collection of over 1,800 artifacts mainly housed in the Indian Museum in Kolkata, are believed to have been enshrined atop the cremated remains of the Buddha, who died around 400 BC. They were expected to sell for approximately HKD 100 million ($12.9 million). The auction house had previously displayed the gems alongside other Buddhist artifacts in a public exhibition, emphasizing their historical significance.
In a letter to Sotheby’s, the Indian Ministry of Culture stated that the gems are sacred relics inseparable from the remains they accompany, arguing that selling them contradicts Buddhist theology and international ethical standards. This sentiment was echoed by Buddhist scholars and religious leaders. The gems were originally claimed by the British Crown under the 1878 Indian Treasure Trove Act, but a portion was allowed to remain with the Peppé family.
Chris Peppé, the great-grandson of the excavator, expressed a hope that the gems would go to someone who values them, stating that an auction seemed the fairest way to transfer them. However, the Indian government asserted that Sotheby’s participation in the sale constitutes ongoing colonial exploitation and instructed that the gems should first be offered to India if the family wished to relinquish them.
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