Sotheby's Returns Ancient Buddhist Gem Collection To India After Legal Pressure

After more than a century abroad, a remarkable collection of jewels linked to the relics of the Buddha has been returned to India. Known as the Piprahwa Gems of the Historical Buddha, the trove comprises hundreds of precious stones of significant historical and cultural value. The collection was due to be auctioned by Sotheby’s in Hong Kong this May, but the sale was halted following legal intervention prompted by the Indian government, which had raised strong objections and threatened legal action.

It was announced on Wednesday, 30 July, that the Mumbai-based Godrej Industries Group had purchased the gems directly from Sotheby’s, facilitating their long-awaited repatriation after 127 years.

Gems Of The Buddha

Unearthed in 1898 during the British Raj, the Piprahwa gems are a remarkable collection of approximately 1,800 jewels, believed to be among the most extraordinary archaeological discoveries of the modern era. The discovery was made by British engineer William Claxton Peppé, who excavated a Buddhist stupa on his estate in what is now Uttar Pradesh, northern India.

Dating from around 240–200 BC, the collection of gems had been interred alongside what are believed to be some of the cremated remains of the Buddha, who is thought to have died around 440 BC. The identification was supported by an inscribed urn found at the site, which led archaeologists to conclude that the bone fragments discovered may have belonged to the Buddha himself. Sotheby’s later described the cache as “one of the most astonishing archaeological finds of the modern era”. The collection, comprising over 300 gems—including amethysts, topaz, and pearls—dates back to the Mauryan Empire during the Ashokan period, approximately 240–200 BCE. It includes an array of precious stones—sapphires, rubies, amethysts, garnets, pearls—and thin sheets of gold, some fashioned into pendants and ornaments, others left in their raw state.

Jewels To Museums

Following the discovery, Peppé handed over the bulk of the collection to the British authorities, who distributed the items among various institutions across the Indian subcontinent. Most of the jewels were housed in the Indian Museum in Kolkata. The bone fragments, however, were gifted to King Rama V of Siam (modern-day Thailand), and subsequently distributed to Buddhist shrines in countries including Thailand, Sri Lanka, and Myanmar, where they continue to be venerated.

Peppé was allowed to keep around 20 per cent of the original discovery—approximately 350 gems—which remained within his family for generations. These heirlooms were eventually inherited by his descendants, three of whom later consigned the collection to Sotheby’s for auction. Valued at HKD 100 million (roughly EUR 9.7 million), the gems attracted significant attention. Sotheby’s ultimately secured a private sale to the Indian conglomerate Godrej Industries Group, ensuring the permanent return of the jewels to India. The collection is now set to go on public display. "Sotheby’s is delighted to have facilitated the return of the Piprahwa Gems to India," the auction house said in a statement on Wednesday, July 30.

About Piprahwa

Piprahwa, a village near Siddharthnagar city in Uttar Pradesh’s Siddharthnagar district, is renowned for its important archaeological site. Excavations suggest it may be the burial place of a portion of the Buddha’s ashes, entrusted to his own Shakya clan. The site features a large stupa, the ruins of several monasteries, and a museum showcasing the findings.

Nearby, at the adjacent mound of Ganwaria, ancient residential complexes and shrines have also been uncovered. Some scholars believe that the combined Piprahwa-Ganwaria area corresponds to the ancient city of Kapilavastu, the capital of the Shakya kingdom, where Siddhartha Gautama—the Buddha—spent the first 29 years of his life.