Nazi Buddhist Iron Man from Space is Fake
I know it sounds like something from Indiana Jones, but it’s true. Last month, the headlines looked like this –
Priceless Tibetan Buddha statue looted by Nazis was carved from meteorite
Relic taken by SS in 1930s analysed by researchers following reappearance at auction in 2007A priceless Buddha statue looted by Nazis in Tibet in the 1930s was carved from a meteorite which crashed to the Earth 15,000 years ago, according to new research.
The relic bears a Buddhist swastika on its belly – an ancient symbol of luck that was later co-opted by the Nazis in Germany.
Analysis has shown the statue is made from an incredibly rare form of nickel-rich iron present in falling stars.
The 1,000-year-old carving, which is 24cm high and weighs 10kg, depicts the god Vaisravana, the Buddhist King of the North, and is known as the Iron Man statue.
It was stolen before the second world war during a pillage of Tibet by Hitler’s SS, who were searching for the origins of the Aryan race.
It eventually made its way to a private collection and was hidden away until it was auctioned in 2007.
Nazi Buddhist Iron Man From Space
Crazy, right? Well, according to new studies, it’s not so much the case.
There were only, it turns out, a few slight catches. According to two experts who have since given their verdict on the mysterious Iron Man, it may have been a European counterfeit; it was probably made at some point in the 20th century; and it may well not have been looted by the Nazis. The bit about the meteorite, though, still stands.
– the Guardian UK
Nazi buddhist iron man from space, we hardly knew ye.
