Sotheby's announced Wednesday the postponement of an auction featuring jewelry linked to Buddhist relics, following opposition from the Indian government which had demanded the sale's cancellation.

The auction house says the gems for auction were found in a box with the physical remains of the historical Buddha. This box was discovered in northern India in 1898, and the items are from around 240-200 BCE.

However, the Indian Ministry of Culture issued a legal notice to Sotheby's Hong Kong on Tuesday, demanding an immediate halt to the sale, condemning the auction as a violation of Indian law, international norms, and UN treaties.

月曜日の日付でサザビーズ香港に宛てられた書簡がFacebookに掲載され、その中でオークションにはインドおよび世界の仏教コミュニティにとって不可欠な宗教的・文化的遺産である神聖な仏教遺物が含まれていると述べられています。この書簡は、これらの遺物のインド政府への返還と、オークションハウスおよびクリス・ペッペ氏からの公的な謝罪を要求しています。

Mr Peppe is the great-grandson of William Peppe, the Englishman who unearthed these artefacts.

The letter warns that if they don't follow the request, there will be legal action and a public campaign. This campaign will say the auction house is continuing colonial injustice and helping with the wrong sale of religious items.

Sotheby's acknowledged the concerns raised by the Indian government in a statement released on Wednesday, stating that the postponement was decided in agreement with the consignor.

This ensures that relevant stakeholders can engage in discussions and that updated information can be readily shared when necessary.

Furthermore, by Wednesday, certain web pages of Sotheby's concerning the auction had already become inaccessible.

The Indian Ministry of Culture joyfully announced on Wednesday via Facebook the postponement of the auction following their intervention.