Rare Buddhist relics found in Gobi desert
16:52, 3 August 2009
BAKU. August 3. KAZINFORM. A joint Austrian-Mongolian treasure hunt team has unearthed rare Buddhist treasures, not seen for more than 70 years, in the Gobi desert; Kazinform refers to Today.Az.
The relics, which include statues, artwork, manuscripts and personal belongings of a famous 19th Century Buddhist master, were buried in the 1930s during Mongolia's Communist purge, when hundreds of monasteries were looted and destroyed.
Michael Eisenriegler, leader of the search team said, they were filled with "the most amazing Buddhist art objects". The expert said, "It is of tremendous value for Mongolian culture because Buddhism was almost extinct in the Communist times, especially in the 1930s"; Kazinform cites Today.Az. See www.today.az for full version.