One statue said to have been found on an Australian beach could change world history.
A statue of Buddha that two Australian metal detectors say they found on the country’s west coast dates back hundreds of years.
It’s even possible that the artifact was left on Australian shores near the time of its creation — centuries before the first European arrived on the continent.
Filmmakers Leon Deschamps and Shayne Thomson describe finding the statue while scouring a beach, according to news.com.au.
The find was purportedly made in Shark Bay in the state of Western Australia, according to The Guardian.
A British expert in Asian art concluded that the statue was in fact a genuine Chinese Ming Dynasty creation, speaking on an episode of the popular “Antiques Roadshow” that aired Sunday.
Lee Young rebuffed the idea that the statue is a modern-day forgery, according to The Guardian.
“Let’s clear it up straight away.”
“Yes, it is Ming,” Young said of the artifact, dating it to a Chinese imperial dynasty that lasted from 1368 to 1644.
A bronze infant Buddha figurine found in the red dirt in historic Shark Bay has been confirmed as a rare Ming dynasty relic, making it a world treasure.
The find could mean the Chinese visited the remote region almost 200 years before Dutchman Dirk Hartog. @SarahSmith9_ #9News pic.twitter.com/aWeSmGCvUZ
— 9News Perth (@9NewsPerth) March 6, 2023
“And yes, it is the infant Buddha.”
Young elaborated on why the statue was specifically portrayed as an infant.
“He was brought out in ceremonies to celebrate Buddha’s birthday, which is why it’s portrayed as the infant Buddha.”
The statue would’ve belonged to someone of importance, according to Young.
The artifact — which would rewrite world history, if it’s been in Australia for centuries — could be worth tens of thousands of dollars, if not more.
In fact, Young told The Guardian that due to the possible historical implications of the artifact, it could be sold for more than $100,000.
A rare piece of history has been found at Shark Bay in northern Western Australia.
Two mates came across a buddha figurine, which could be worth $1000. @JackHahn9News #9News pic.twitter.com/eI0rjahATr
— 9News Perth (@9NewsPerth) March 6, 2023
There are possible explanations other than an elaborate hoax or pre-European contact with Australia.
Historian Paul Macgregor believes the Buddha piece could’ve been left behind by Chinese fishermen who visited the area in the 1870’s, according to The Guardian.
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