It's not every day that you stumble across something valuable or rare while you’re outside on a walk. There’s even much less of a chance of finding an item that could be worth hundreds of thousands of dollars and change the course of history.

But that's exactly what happened to two lucky friends in Western Australia.

It sounds like something straight out of Indiana Jones – except it actually happened. A pair of Aussie treasure hunters have struck gold (or, rather, bronze) on a beach in Western Australia, unearthing a rare piece of history that could be worth as much as $100,000.

In 2018, Leon Deschamps and Shayne Thomson were scouring the dunes at Shark Bay with metal detectors when they made a remarkable discovery – a buried infant Buddha statue that dates back to the 15th century Ming dynasty of imperial China.

‘This is pretty amazing; it seems old. I don’t know the history behind that. We’ll find out. We’ll do some research,’ Mr Thomson said. He and Mr Deschamps took a video after discovering the treasure.

Two friends stumbled upon an actual buried treasure at the beach. Credit: David Bartus/Pexels

Suspecting they might have hit the jackpot, the duo then made another big investment – and it's about to pay serious dividends. The pair then made a huge investment, putting $50,000 into research to verify the origins of this unique find.

Travelling to the UK to appear on the BBC’s Antiques Roadshow, they met with Lee Young, an Asian art expert and the managing director of Dore and Rees auctioneers in Somerset, who confirmed the item originated from the Ming Dynasty, dating its origin between 1368 and 1644. It was also reported it could fetch $100,000 at the auction.

According to the art expert, the infant Buddha is a ‘world treasure’. ‘Yes, it is Ming, and yes, it is the infant Buddha. He was brought out in ceremonies to celebrate Buddha’s birthday, which is why he’s portrayed as the infant Buddha,’ he shared before adding that the figurine would have belonged to ‘someone of some standing’.

Ian MacLeod, a fellow of the WA Museum who has examined over 35,000 bronze objects for museums, confirmed through a rigorous process that the Buddha was ‘unequivocally not a forgery’.

Mr MacLeod explained that the Buddha had been buried at the spot where it was discovered between 100 and 150 years prior. It was also reported that the figurine must have been used for a considerable period of time before the burial – which was consistent with research that dates it back to the Ming period.

The Infant Buddha. Credit: FINN films/Facebook

The historic find could even rewrite the history books, according to the experts.

‘I’m amazed to find out that it is the Ming dynasty because that does make it the oldest Chinese artefact in Australian history,’ Mr Deschamps shared.

Experts concluded that its presence in Australia could mean a Ming dynasty treasure expedition – one that was previously thought of as impossible – might have reached the country.

While it could also indicate that the Chinese visited the region almost 200 years before the Dutch ever set sail.

However, Jocelyn Chey, a visiting professor in the Department of Chinese Studies at the University of Sydney, said it was ‘unlikely’ that the Chinese treasure fleet visited the shores of Western Australia.

‘It doesn’t mean because it’s 500 years old, that it came here 500 years ago. Regardless of when it came here, it must be the oldest [Chinese] object that has been discovered in Australia. That is assuming that its authenticity is confirmed,’ Professor Chey explained.

Meanwhile, Mr Deschamps revealed he still hasn’t found a home for the Buddha. The WA Maritime Museum didn’t want to display it when the pair offered it to them, and their local Shark Bay Discovery Centre Museum was not a suitable location due to the lack of funds to properly insure and protect the figurine.

Mr Deschamps said in a statement on behalf of him and Mr Thomson: ‘Sacred objects belong with the communities they are sacred to. We do not consider ourselves owners of the Infant Buddha but rather custodians, and we have done our utmost to show this sacred object the respect it deserves.’

Key Takeaways

• A pair of Aussie treasure hunters found a rare bronze infant Buddha statue on a beach in Western Australia.
• After investing $50,000 in research, they confirmed the 15th-century Ming dynasty statue could be worth up to $100,000 at auction.
• The historic find could potentially rewrite history books and indicate that the Chinese visited the Australian region almost 200 years before the Dutch.

Have you ever found anything unexpected while out on a walk? What’s the most remarkable thing you’ve ever discovered? Share your stories in the comments below.

 

[MindyMac]

I prefer to have the money safely in my bank account. They can keep the mini-Me Buddha find.