Buddhist relics discovered in central China

In a rare find, Chinese archaeologists have discovered five precious relics believed to be from the cremated ashes of Buddhist masters at an ancient tomb in central China’s Hubei Province. The objects were found in late last month and later identified by monks and researchers as sariras (relics)  The relics are believed to be collected from the cremated ashes of Buddhist masters.

It is rare to find sariras in a tomb, as they are usually unearthed at Buddhist temples, Chen Qianwan, head of the archaeology institute of Xiangyang City said on Tuesday. They believe the owner of the tomb was a Buddhist. The findings will be kept in the city’s museum. The bead-shaped holy objects are usually kept in sacred containers.