Ancient treasure hidden in the belly of 700-year-old Buddha statue
A statue of Manjushri Bodhisattva at a temple in Japan holds many ancient artifacts inside its head and body.
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Statue of Manjushri Bodhisattva at Nara National Museum. Photo:NHK. |
A treasure trove of ancient artifacts including scrolls and artifacts was found inside the body of an ancient Buddha statue at Hokkeji Temple in Nara City, Japan, according toNewsweek. The 76 cm tall seated Buddha statue contains about 180 artifacts.
Officials believe the artifacts have remained in place since they were placed in the 700-year-old statue. They used a CT scan to examine the statue. About 30 artifacts were in the head and the remaining 150 were stuffed into the body.
"Considering the artifacts inside, the statue is truly special. The discovery has great historical and cultural significance," said Shigeki Iwata, director of special research at the Nara National Museum.
The statue depicts Manjushri Bodhisattva, one of the four great Bodhisattvas symbolizing wisdom. He is often depicted holding a Buddhist scripture in one hand, a sword in the other, and riding on a lion. Manjushri Bodhisattva appears frequently in the art of Japan, Tibet, Nepal, Indonesia, and many other Asian countries.
The statue of Manjushri Bodhisattva will be on display at the Nara National Museum until May 27. Officials have not yet revealed whether they plan to collect the artifacts inside the statue.