Sotheby’s has postponed an auction of jewels associated with Buddha’s remains after the Indian government opposed the sale and demanded it be halted.
The auction house reported that the gems up for sale were discovered buried alongside the corporeal relics of the historical Buddha within reliquaries in northern India in 1898. These artifacts date back to approximately 240-200 BC, according to the auction house.
However, India’s Ministry of Culture announced on Facebook on Tuesday that it had issued a legal notice to Sotheby’s Hong Kong, demanding an immediate stop to the auction. The ministry accused the auction of breaching “Indian laws, international norms, and UN conventions.”
In a letter addressed to Sotheby’s Hong Kong, shared on Facebook, the ministry stated that the auction includes sacred Buddhist relics considered an inalienable religious and cultural heritage of both India and the global Buddhist community.
It demanded the repatriation of the relics to the Indian government and a public apology from the auction house and Chris Peppe, a great-grandson of British businessman William Peppe, who excavated the relics.
The Indian government warned in the letter that failure to comply would result in legal actions and public advocacy campaigns highlighting the auction house’s role “in perpetuating colonial injustice and becoming a party to unethical sale of religious relics.”
Sotheby’s announced the postponement in a statement on Wednesday, acknowledging the matters raised by the Indian government and saying it was done with the agreement of the consignors.
“This will allow for discussions between the parties, and we look forward to sharing any updates as appropriate,” it said.
Some of Sotheby’s webpages about the auction were no longer available on Wednesday.
The Indian Ministry of Culture said on Facebook on Wednesday it was “pleased to inform” that the auction was postponed after its intervention.
