Latest news with #Peppé
The Print
12-05-2025
- Business
- The Print
Buddha's gems at Sotheby's shows Indian govt doesn't have an eye on ‘colonial loot'
The issue started when in early May, Sotheby's scheduled the auction of the gem relics found by Peppe (about 344 gemstones) for a whopping 9.7 million pounds. Although Sotheby's paused the auction by 7 May, promising to review the matter, the incident triggered debates over the ownership and restitution of artefacts displayed during British rule. under the 1878 Indian Treasure Trove Act the British crown would have been the rightful claimant of Peppé's find . This is why a majority of the gems are currently housed at the Indian Museum in Kolkata. Peppé was reportedly permitted to keep about a fifth of the 1,800 gems found. Some of which were described as 'duplicates' by British colonial administrators at the time, but there is no clarity on what the term denoted. It came as a shock to the entire world, especially to India because these gems are part of the sacred relics including the bone relics of Buddha himself. This prompted the Government of India, Ministry of Culture, to take matters into their hands and write a stern but detailed letter to Sotheby's appealing to them to stop the auction or else they will be seen as voluntarily 'participating in continued colonial exploitation'. In the 1898, a British estate manager, William C Peppé dug up a Buddhist Stupa at Piprahwa and stumbled upon a soapstone casket containing relics of Gautama Buddha and a cache of precious gems, which may have been weaved into a necklace or some other form of jewellery, as part of the offerings. More than a century later, a controversy surrounds these gemstones as the heir of Peppe moves to auction them at Sotheby's. The case is further complicated by Chris Peppe, the fourth-generation custodian of the Piprahwa relics, who despite acknowledging his custodianship, claimed ownership and sought to monetise the holy relics. Not only does this episode highlight several critical legal and ethical concerns but also underlines the broader issue of colonial loot and the absence of robust legal frameworks, which has empowered 'custodians' to authorise sales and the auction houses to proceed even when the sacred relics are associated with a religious figure such as Buddha. What are these relics? The archaeological remains at Piprahwa are located 9km north of Birdpur in Siddharthanagar district of Uttar Pradesh, roughly 1.5 km south of the Indo-Nepal border. The region was part of the Birdpur estate, a principal estate that comprised more than 250 villages during the colonial era. It was given to multiple companies for its development and upkeep but all of the ventures failed miserably. Until 1848, when William C Peppé, a British engineer who was managing multiple estates for the government, became the estate manager to oversee significant developments such as the irritation. During his stay he was fascinated with piles of archaeological remains and began digging the Piprahwa stupa. This excavation was driven more by the prospects of finding treasure than by archaeological intent. About 10 feet below the surface, he unearthed a soapstone inscribed relic casket with sacred remains of Gautama Buddha and other offerings. Further digging, at 18 feet below the surface, revealed a massive sandstone coffer containing five vases including a crystal and silver vase along with other offerings of precious and semi-precious stones, pearls, bones and ashes. The coffer and the casket are housed at the Indian Museum. It was from this coffer William Peppé kept a few 'duplicates' with him. The recovered bone relics were presented to King Rama V of Thailand. These bone relics were further divided into three shares between Thailand, Myanmar, and Sri Lanka. The rest of the relic remains were handed over by Peppe as a token of gratitude to Sri Lankan monk Sri Subhuthi Mahanayake Thero. He assisted in the excavation. This portion is kept at Waskaduwa Viharaya, a Buddhist temple in Sri Lanka's Kalutara. After the Archaeological Survey of India took the ownership of the site, it was excavated by archaeologist KM Srivastava and his team from 1971 to 1977. Digging deeper than Peppé's level, they discovered two additional steatite relic caskets containing a total of 22 sacred bone relics. Twenty bone fragments are kept at the National Museum, New Delhi while the remaining two are at Indian Museum, Kolkata. Who is a custodian? In early February, Chris Peppe wrote for Sotheby's website recounting the story of nostalgia and rediscovery attested to the Piprahwa relics. He described the tradition of passing down these relics as family heirlooms, starting from William Peppé to his son and finally to Chris Peppe and his cousins in 2013. He also claimed that the gem relics were 'duplicate', allowing William Peppé to retain them while the rest were distributed. He argued that their very declaration as duplicate made these relics inconsequential enabling the sale. However, the definition of the term 'duplicate' remains ambiguous. A formal and legal authentication is also absent in this case. In the befitting reply, the Ministry of Culture outlined four key objections. The first focused on provenance and ownership, casting doubt on the term duplicate. It is also not clear if these are replicas or simply multiples of similar gems? The second objection was addressed to the term 'custodianship'. As per GOI, custodianship does not grant any legal right to alienate or misappropriate the asset of extraordinary heritage of humanity. India pointed out that even if the colonial government of that time gave custodianship to William Peppé, his descendants had no legal grounds to sell the relics. Therefore, the right of first refusal for resumption of custodianship goes to India, Moreover, the relics, reportedly stored in a shoe box, were improperly maintained, further undermining the custodian's credibility. The notice also refers to relevant laws and conventions such as the Indian Treasure Trove Act of 1878, applicable to the gem relics. It affirms that the ownership of the discovered relics lies with the colonial government, not William Peppé. Moreover, the UNESCO Convention of 1970 designates relics as cultural property. The gems thus require joint authorisation from India and China for any auction. In addition, the Hague Convention (1954) and Second Protocol (1999) emphasise the sacred and non-commercial status of cultural property of religious significance, categorising the Piprahwa relics under 'enhanced protection'. Lastly, the ministry cited precedents involving restitution of Buddhist relics, such as the return of the Sanchi Stupa relics excavated by Alexander Cunningham, which was sent back from Victoria and Albert Museum to India in 1952. Although Chris Peppe continues to claim that legally the ownership is unchallenged, the grounds of these claims are not clear. This case exemplifies the persistence of colonial mindset in claiming ownership of cultural property removed from the colonies. Also read: Excavation is just the beginning. Complex sites like Kaushambi need evidence-based approach A path to restitution This brings up the need for establishing global frameworks specifically addressing colonial-era artefacts. Independent institutions/organisations should be established to mediate restitution cases and resolve ownership disputes. Additionally, India must take stock of all the antiquities in possession of private collectors, university departments and museums both domestically and abroad. Thousands of antiquities of Indian origin are housed in famous museums across the globe. India should go through diplomatic channels and document them, identify date and provenance and maintain a record diligently. Similarly at home, there is a need to maintain a record and keep an eye on antiquities, especially those in private collections. According to the Indian Treasure Trove Act of 1878, the Indian government, not William Peppé, legally owns the relics. On what grounds can an estate manager take sacred relics and pass it down to his heirs, all while miraculously claiming what can be understood as ownership. Having said that, lapses have been made from our end as well. Post Independence India established its own legal framework for protecting antiquities. At the same time through diplomacy we have been successful in getting many stolen, smuggled and removed objects. In this case when Chris Peppe was moving these relics from New York to Hong Kong for exhibition, why didn't our government take stock of the matter? Given the legal framework and diplomacy why didn't we reach out to the Peppe family, if not restitution, at least for basic documentation. For over a century it never occurred to us to get these relics back when the casket and coffers were in India. Is it lethargy or devil may care attitude? It is also important to note that in the absence of protective infrastructure, many artefacts are relatively safer in museums abroad, but when it's the case of private collections, India will have to take up a ginormous task to maintain an inventory. In the end whether India will be able to get these relics back or not, time will only tell, but the restitution of objects taken by colonial officers assuming the right of ownership, is incorrect and intolerable. Disha Ahluwalia is an archaeologist and research fellow at the Indian Council of Historical Research. She tweets @ahluwaliadisha. Views are personal. (Edited by Theres Sudeep)
Time of India
09-05-2025
- Politics
- Time of India
RS MP thanks PM Modi for move to halt auction of Buddha relics in HK
Lucknow: Rajya Sabha member and former UP DGP Brij Lal expressed satisfaction over the suspension of the auction of sacred relics of Lord Buddha that was scheduled at Sotheby's in Hong Kong on May relics, believed to be unearthed from the Piprahwa stupa in present-day UP's Siddharthnagar district, were excavated in 1898 by British indigo planter William Claxton Peppé.Peppé is also credited with promoting the cultivation of the ancient Kala Namak rice after reportedly tasting it in 1848 and subsequently growing it in the Terai regions of Gorakhpur and to Brij Lal, Peppé tunnelled into the Piprahwa stupa and removed a soapstone casket containing sacred relics, ornaments, and gemstones linked to Lord Buddha. These were later taken to London by his family and were set to be auctioned in Hong Kong by his Lal said that upon learning about the proposed auction, he wrote to PM Narendra Modi, EAM S Jaishankar, and Union culture minister Gajendra Singh Shekhawat on May 5, urging them to act govt of India responded promptly, and through the coordinated efforts of the ministry of culture, Archaeological Survey of India and MEA, a legal notice was issued to Sotheby's and Peppé's great-grandson, Chris Peppé. This led to Sotheby's informing Indian authorities on May 7 that the auction was postponed, and further discussions would be held."I am grateful to Prime Minister Modi, who, despite being preoccupied with Operation Sindoor, took swift and decisive action to halt the auction ," Brij Lal told Lal expressed hope that the halted auction will pave the way for the relics to be returned to India.
NBC News
07-05-2025
- Business
- NBC News
Auction of gems found with Buddha's remains is postponed after India objects
HONG KONG — Sotheby's has postponed the auction of a collection of ancient gems linked to the Buddha's remains after the Indian government threatened legal action and demanded their repatriation. The auction of the Piprahwa Gems of the Historical Buddha has been postponed 'with the agreement of the consignors,' three descendants of a British colonial landowner who excavated them, Sotheby's said in a statement Wednesday. 'This will allow for discussions between the parties, and we look forward to sharing any updates as appropriate,' the auction house said. India had slammed the planned auction of the gems, which William Claxton Peppé dug up on his northern Indian estate in 1898, as offensive to the world's 500 million Buddhists and a violation of Indian and international law and United Nations conventions. The Piprahwa gemstones, part of a dazzling cache of more than 1,800 artifacts that are now mostly housed at the Indian Museum in Kolkata, are named after the town in what is now the Indian state of Uttar Pradesh where they were buried in a stupa, or funerary monument, around 200-240 BC. The gems were said to be enshrined on top of the existing cremated remains of Buddha, who died around 200 years earlier, and many Buddhists believe they are imbued with his presence. The 334 gems had been scheduled to go on sale Wednesday in Hong Kong, where Sotheby's put them on display in a public exhibition. They were expected to sell for about 100 million Hong Kong dollars ($12.9 million). Secured in three glass cases and surrounded by a trove of other Buddhist artifacts, the display included shimmering penny-sized silver and gold-leaf stars embossed with symbols, along with pearls, beads and flowers cut from precious stones including amethyst, topaz, garnet, coral and crystal. 'Nothing of comparable importance in early Buddhism has ever appeared at auction,' Sotheby's said on its website, which on Wednesday was no longer promoting the sale. In a letter dated Monday and shared online, the Indian Ministry of Culture said the gems were sacred relics and 'not separable from the remains they accompany,' according to Buddhist theology and archaeological standards. 'To separate and sell them violates religious doctrine and international ethical norms for handling sacred remains,' the letter said. The sale was also condemned by Buddhist scholars and religious leaders. At the time of the discovery, the British Crown claimed the find under the 1878 Indian Treasure Trove Act, giving the bones and ashes to Buddhist King Chulalongkorn of Thailand. But the Peppé family was allowed to keep a fifth of the relics, and they have been passed down for generations. 'I hope they will go to someone who really values them,' Chris Peppé, Peppé's great-grandson, wrote in a February piece for Sotheby's accompanying the auction catalogue. The Indian government said Peppé, a TV director and film editor based in Los Angeles, lacked authority to sell the gems and that by facilitating the sale, Sotheby's was 'participating in continued colonial exploitation.' It said if Peppé no longer wished to have custody of the gems, they should be offered first to India. Peppé did not respond to a request for comment. He told the BBC that his family had explored the possibility of donating the relics but had run into obstacles and that an auction seemed to be the 'fairest and most transparent way to transfer these relics to Buddhists.'
Daily Mail
06-05-2025
- Business
- Daily Mail
Sotheby's under fire for hosting 'unethical' auction of ancient jewels linked to Buddha
Sotheby's Hong Kong has come under fire from India 's government as the auction house prepares to host a sale of ancient jewels linked to Buddha this week. The auction, which is scheduled to take place on Wednesday, is said to offer up a collection of 'gem relics' for sale in Hong Kong. However, the Indian Ministry of Culture claims the auction violates Indian laws, international norms and United Nations conventions. The organization has served a legal order demanding the halt of the sale. Sotheby's listed the gems, which were discovered in an urn with Shakya clan's share of the bones of Shakyamuni Buddha, as 'unparalleled religious, archeological and historical importance.' The gem relics are sacred to many Buddhists, who believe they are the corporeal remains of the Buddha, CNN reported. A majority of the gems found were sent to the Indian Museum in Kolkata at the time of their discovery, but 'duplicates' were granted to William Claxton Peppé, a British colonial engineer who unearthed the relics. Now, descendants of Peppé are auctioning off the sacred gems, to the fury of India's government and many Buddhists. The country's Ministry of Culture said on Monday that it was taking 'swift and comprehensive' measures to 'immediately' halt the sale of the gems and 'highlight the illegality of the auction and ensure compliance with international laws.' 'We call upon Sotheby's Hong Kong to immediately withdraw the relics from the auction and cooperate with Indian authorities to return these sacred artifacts to their rightful place,' the ministry said in paperwork posted to Instagram. The ministry said in the documents that the auction involves 'sacred Buddhist relics,' referred to as the duplicate jewels, and that it violates Indian and international laws as well as the United Nations conventions. Further, the documents posted detail that per Buddhist religion, 'these sacred grave goods are inseparable from the sacred relics and cannot be commodified.' The legal action taken against Sotheby's Hong Kong and Chris Peppé, the great-grandson of William Claxton Peppé, demands the immediate cancellation of the auction, repatriation of the relics to the Government of India, a public apology from Sotheby's and Peppé and full disclosure of any further relics in their possession. Chris Peppé told the BBC that the family had looked into donating the relics, but that all options presented problems. He added that the auction seemed to be the 'fairest and most transparent way to transfer these relics to Buddhists,' and further told the outlet that in all the monasteries he had visited 'no Buddhists regard [the gems] are corporeal relics.' 'A few Buddhist academics at western universities have recently offered a convoluted, fact-defying logical whereby they may be regarded as such. It's an academic construct that is not shared by Buddhists in general who are familiar with the details of the find,' he added. The relics were excavated in 1898 from Piprahwa Stupa by William Claxton Peppé and are 'part of India's and the global Buddhist community's spiritual and cultural heritage,' the ministry said. The legal action taken against Sotheby's Hong Kong and Chris Peppé, the great-grandson of William Claxton Peppé, demands the immediate cancellation of the auction Sotheby's responded to the legal notice regarding the motion the stop the auction with 'the assurance that full attention is being given to this matter,' the ministry's post said. Julian King, Sotheby's international specialist and head of sale, further told the BBC: 'As is the case with any important items and collectibles that are offered for sale at Sotheby's, we conducted requisite due diligence, including in relation to authenticity and provenance, legality and other considerations in line with our policies and industry standards for artworks and treasures.' India's Ministry of Culture nor Sotheby's immediately responded to request for comment.
ABC News
06-05-2025
- Business
- ABC News
India threatens Sotheby's with legal action over planned sale of Piprahwa gems
Jewels linked to the physical remains of the Buddha are set to be sold at auction, sparking a threat of legal action from India and moral questions about the sale of religious antiquities. The Piprahwa gems have spent most of the past century in a private family collection after being unearthed in 1898 by a British estate manager. The relics were found buried with what was believed to be bone fragments and ash of the Buddha. Sotheby's auction house in Hong Kong will look to sell the collection on Wednesday. However, New Delhi has threatened Sotheby's with legal action if it does not call off the sale, arguing the auction "violates Indian and international laws as well as UN conventions". The gems are expected to fetch $20m. What are the Piprahwa gems? The Piprahwa gems, made up of thousands of pieces of topaz, pearls, rubies, sapphires and gold sheets, were excavated in 1898 by British estate manager William Claxton Peppé. William Claxton Peppe unearthed the gems in 1898. ( Supplied: Peppé family/The Piprahwa Project ) He unearthed the jewels and what are believed to be remains of the Buddha from inside a funeral chamber, known as a stupa, in present-day Uttar Pradesh in northern India. The relics were inscribed and consecrated about 2,000 years ago, during the Mauryan Empire. Experts agree that the items are linked to both the Buddha's Sakya clan and Buddhists worldwide. When they were unearthed in 1898, the bones and ash found were separated from the jewels, before being gifted by the British colonial government in India to the King of Siam — modern-day Thailand. He then distributed some of the bones and ash to Buddhist centres across Asia, including in Myanmar, Thailand and Sri Lanka, where they continue to be venerated. The rest of the hoard was taken to the colonial museum in Kolkata, before a portion was granted back to the Peppé family. A selection of the Piprahwa gems going to auction at Sotheby's. ( Supplied: Sotheby's ) Sotheby's notes that the Peppé family was granted about a fifth of the total haul. The family has held on to the collection since, saying that what they have are duplicates. Ashley Thompson, the chair of South-East Asian art history at SOAS University of London, told ABC's The World program they were not duplicates. "These are the belongings of Buddhist communities. They are also belongings of humanity," Professor Thompson said. She said it was clear that both the Buddha's physical remains and the gems were meant to stay together. Five urns were found in a stone coffer inside the stupa where the Buddha's remains and Piprahwa gems were found. ( Supplied: Peppé family/The Piprahwa Project ) "When an exceptionally powerful spiritual master's body is cremated, it is understood that the cremation fire doesn't just reduce that body to bones and ash but also reduces it to these essentially pure crystal-like things," she said. "They could also have been offerings that were made … in order to ensure merit in perpetuity, effectively assimilating with the bones and ash over time. "They were all meant to be there together in perpetuity. They are effectively grave goods." What does India say about the sale? India's culture ministry posted to Mr Peppé is William Claxton Peppé's great-grandson. In the letter, the Indian government argues that Mr Peppé does not have the authority to sell the relics and that Sotheby's is contributing to "continued colonial exploitation" by going ahead with the sale. The ministry states that the relics are part of India's "religious and cultural heritage" and has threatened to undertake a public campaign highlighting the auction house's "colonial injustice". Mr Peppé told the BBC he considered donating the relics but determined that an auction was the "fairest and most transparent way to transfer these relics to Buddhists". He also In his research, he noted that he discovered that the excavation was an attempt by his great-grandfather "to provide work for his tenant farmers who had fallen victim to the famine of 1897". Loading YouTube content Irrespective of the intellectual value of the collection, Professor Thompson said the case posed significant questions about who owned the gems and whether it was ethical to trade them. "For Buddhists, they are considered to be highly sacred for their intimate association with the Buddha's body," she said. "It is certainly achievable to find a home where they are made available for veneration, where they are made available for contemplation." The Piprahwa gems have featured in several significant exhibitions in recent years, including at The Met in New York. Sotheby's has been contacted for comment.
