12-05-2025
1,300-year-old gold — hidden under Buddha monument — found in Thailand. See it
More than 1,000 years ago, below the statue of the reclining Buddha in an ancient temple, someone stashed their hoard.
Gold, silver and bronze items were hidden at the Thailand site for centuries — until now.
Workers preparing an underground moisture reduction project at the Wat Dhammachak Semaram temple in Nakhon Ratchasima came across the collection on April 21, about 4.2 feet below the surface, according to a May 7 news release from the Department of Fine Arts.
The team found a partially damaged earthenware container tucked under the statue, according to the release.
Inside was a total of 33 items ranging from gold rings and silver earrings to bronze ornaments, officials said.
The team noted there was a set of gold spiral hoop earrings that resembled other jewelry found at two other Thailand sites, according to the release.
A week later, on April 30, the team found more items under the reclining Buddha, officials said.
Three more items were made of a gold and tin-lead alloy, known locally as 'chin,' according to the release.
The first was a repoussé plate, or a relief that is hammered into a piece of metal, that depicted the Buddha, officials said. It's rectangular, thick and relatively intact.
It shows a Buddha with a halo, curls like snail shells, elongated ears and a body sitting and draped in a robe, according to the release.
The Buddha's hand was in the vitarka mudra, or in a position known for teaching, according to the release, and the repoussé plate had a hole on the mid-right side, likely intended for the plate to be hanging or tied.
A second plate, this one damaged, was also found and made of the same material, officials said. It shows Buddha standing under an arch with the same halo and curls, but with a thin robe clinging to the body.
Both hands are in vitarka mudra, but the Buddha is joined by attendants, and a figure was likely on Buddha's right side, but the side is damaged, according to the release.
A third item, a clay lump embedded with metal sheets was also found, but heavily damaged, officials said. The piece was found behind the head of the reclining Buddha.
All of the pieces were dated to about 1,300 years ago, according to the release.
The reclining Buddha statue is one of the temple's most notable features, and was likely created around the year 657, so the items could have been placed at the time of its construction.
Nakhon Ratchasima is in central Thailand, about a 160-mile drive northeast from Bangkok.
Google Translate and ChatGPT, an AI chat bot, were used to translate the news release from the Thailand Department of Fine Arts.
