India has recovered a set of relics linked to early Buddhism more than a century after they were removed from the country during the British colonial period, officials said on Wednesday.
The Piprahwa gems date back to around the third century BC and were unearthed in 1898 by Englishman William Claxton Peppe in northern India.
India’s culture ministry said it secured the return of the gems, which had been slated for auction in Hong Kong in May, in partnership with Mumbai-based conglomerate Godrej Industries Group.
“These relics have long held immense spiritual value for the global Buddhist community and represent one of the most important archaeological discoveries in India’s history,” the ministry said in a statement.
The Piprahwa gems were scheduled to be auctioned by Sotheby’s in Hong Kong in May. Photo: Sotheby’s
The gems will be put on public display soon, it added, without giving further details.