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A Buddhist statue brought to Germany from Tibet by a Nazi-backed expedition has been confirmed as having an extraterrestrial origin.
Known as the "iron man," the 24-cm high sculpture may represent the god Vaiśravaṇa and was likely created from a piece of the Chinga meteorite that was strewn across the border region between Russia and Mongolia between 10,000 and 20,000 years ago, according to Elmar Buchner of the University of Stuttgart, and his colleagues.
In a paper published in Metoritics & Planetary Science, the team reports their analysis of the iron, nickel, cobalt and trace elements of a sample from the statue, as well as its structure. They found that the geochemistry of the artifact is a match for values known from fragments of the Chinga meteorite. The piece turned into the iron man would be the third largest known from that fall.
Given the extreme hardness of the meteorite – "basically an inappropriate material for producing sculptures" the paper notes – the artist or artists who created it may have known their material was special, the researchers say. Buchner suggests it could have been produced by the 11th century Ben culture but the exact origin and age of the statue – as opposed to the meteorite it is made from – is still unknown. It is thought to have been brought to Germany by a Nazi-backed expedition to Tibet in 1938-39. The swastika symbol on the piece – a version of which was adopted by the Nazi party – may have encouraged the 1938 expedition to take it back with them.
"While the first debris was officially discovered in 1913 by gold prospectors, we believe that this individual meteorite fragment was collected many centuries before," said Buchner in a statement. "The Iron Man statue is the only known illustration of a human figure to be carved into a meteorite."
Although this item may be the only known human figure carved into a rock fallen to earth, other meteorites have also been used by many religions across the world. A 15-ton example in North America called the Willamette meteorite is sacred to some native Americans, while some have suggested that the Black Stone in the Kaaba in Mecca is a meteorite.
This article is reproduced with permission from the magazine Nature. The article was first published on September 26, 2012.
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19 Comments
Add CommentI say it was made by aliens. Buddhist Nazi Space Aliens. I think that's the title for my next book, lol...
Reply | Report Abuse | Link to thisSorry to say, I think that was a Roger Corman movie in the '50s.
Reply | Report Abuse | Link to thisIts actually a living thing but moving very slowly
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Reply | Report Abuse | Link to thisThe Swastika is literally the Name of God, as recorded in the Hebrew scriptures when YHWH spoke from the burning bush. The root of his name is the verb 'to be', and scripture also says that God is Good, as in, the epitome of the good. The swastika, at least the Indian swastika denotes 'well being', the root words meaning 'to be good'. Look it up if ya don't believe me....
The swastika is a visual artistic representation of YHWH's name.
No, I don't know if that means anything, but I think about it from time to time.
oh bull
Reply | Report Abuse | Link to thisLooking at the statue, first of all it does not look like Viashravana, at least in Tibetan iconography. Here is an example of what Vaishravana looks like:
Reply | Report Abuse | Link to thishttp://www.himalayanart.org/search/search_results.cfm?searchObjectType=sculpture&figureMainID=89&figureSubID=653&originID=any&creationDate=ANY&lineage=any&collectionID=ANY&materialID=ANY&repousse=ANY&submit=Search
To be quite frank the statue looks like a forgery to me. It does not follow Tibetan sculptural iconography which is very unusual for a religious statue made from such higly valued material.
Swastika is a Solar symbol, that you can find today in places such as the main entrance of a Jain University in India. The last temple of Jerusalem, before its destruction by the Romans around AD 70, included Swastikas in its decoration. Swastika is a compound of some words in the Sanskrit language: "Sv", meaning well or good, and "asti", an equivalent of "being at" or "being in"; in Spanish you find the verb "estar" connected to "asti", but this language differentiates between "ser" and "estar" both translated into English as "be"; "ka" would come from the suffix of German language "kheit", meaning "having" or "in" "the condition of", so the best translation for Swastika would be "State of well being", or "Welfare state".
Reply | Report Abuse | Link to thisThe Nazi Swastika is an mirror image of the one you see elsewhere, such as on this statue or Jain University. Not sure is they were trying to be ironic or accurate as to it's meaning.
Reply | Report Abuse | Link to thisIt is known that the NAZIS used the swastika turned in a different direction in order to attract a specific energy which wiil make them powerful and victorious. It is also known that Tibetan monks helped them to create this new version of the ancient symbol.
Reply | Report Abuse | Link to thisThe "I am" is here *now*. Where, whom and why are you being mindfull of me? Your programming,attachments and expectations "amuse" me. As a "spiritual" scientific american I experience life as it is,fascinating. Namaste.
Reply | Report Abuse | Link to thisThere are an unfortunate number of apparent errors in this article. The statue is referred to first as Buddhist and then as "Ben." I believe the author meant "Bön" - but that is (during the time frame of the 10th-11th century) incompatible with Buddhism and was a separate spiritual path.
Reply | Report Abuse | Link to thisProf. Buchner refers often to the figure being "carved" from the meteorite (and the author also refers to it being carved from "stone"... which the meteorite is not, it is iron with nickel alloys). I see no evidence of carving but rather of "casting" - ie. via lost wax mold casting as continues to be the practice with fragments of the Chinga meteorite. The original wax figurine WAS carved with a fine knife and other pointed tools to achieve the evidence minute details. This, by itself, is NOT rare. Smelted (meteoric) iron is then poured into the mold and displaces the wax figurine. I own 2 such statu(ettes) - one of which is illustrated at http://on.fb.me/R0W77O
Lastly, is the identity of the portrayed figure. Prof. Buchner's team asserts he is Vasravana, a Bön figure. Perhaps. This individual is wearing a characteristic lama's hat; has a pointed beard (so he clearly is a lay teacher - like his contemporary, 11th century Marpa); and is wearing chain mail... so perhaps was a regional administrator or important prince (not incompatible with Buddhist teaching). His right hand is extended in the Buddhist "offering" gesture; his posture is characteristic of one called "ease;" and his left hand holds not a sword (as some misinformed articles assert) but the Tibetan Buddhist power object called "wish-fulfilling gem." This does not seem like a Bön figure although greater scholars than myself may disagree.
podbog is 100% right. Choose to stick you head in the sand or not. Facts are facts. I suppose you read the Bible as 100% truth too. That says more than anything that I could come up with. We don't want people like you on our "side". Period.
Reply | Report Abuse | Link to thisMisleading title and first paragraph (called bait-and-switch!). The "statue" is not from outer space. The material may be.
Reply | Report Abuse | Link to thisNazi use of the swastika meant the opposite of being. Results were overwhelmingly horrific and bear preventing at all costs. Not to be confused with the original domain of the beneficial use of the divine in life, which is to gain a manner of life in tune with natural law, the DIVINE order. All else is failure to live and is only destructive in the end. An element of fictitiousness emerges from this statue so best part with what doesn't serve the purpose of one's own spiritual evolution and go with the highest first, which is owning for oneself the benefit of ENLIGHTENMENT. This is the word of the day, for all you moviegoers and extra-terrestrialists in need of change--go within and find the change to be in consciousness itself, which is mastery of all on the basis of life-supporting interest (not destructive techno-challenges to evolution)in heart and mind--total potential of natural law in tune with cosmic purposes of harmony throughout civilization--and gives happiness in harmony and light of God on earth.
Reply | Report Abuse | Link to thisNazi use of the swastika meant the opposite of being. Results were overwhelmingly horrific and bear preventing at all costs, and definitely NOT TO BE CONFUSED with the original domain of the beneficial use of the divine in life, which is to gain a manner of life in tune with natural law, the DIVINE order. All else is failure to live and is only destructive in the end. An element of fictitiousness emerges from this statue so best part with what doesn't serve the purpose of one's own spiritual evolution and go with the highest first, which is owning for oneself the benefit of ENLIGHTENMENT. This is the word of the day, for all you moviegoers and extra-terrestrialists in need of change--go within and find the change to be in consciousness itself, which is mastery of all on the basis of life-supporting interest (not destructive techno-challenges to evolution)in heart and mind--total potential of natural law in tune with cosmic purposes of harmony throughout civilization--and gives happiness in harmony and light of God on earth.
Reply | Report Abuse | Link to thisIt looks like Jean-Luc Picard.
Reply | Report Abuse | Link to this"Vaisravana" is another name of "Kubera", the God of Wealth (icon of the Reserve Bank of India). He is the brother of Raavana, the King of Lanka (identified as Ceylon; see the any condensation of the 'Raamaayana', the Sanskrit epic poem). Kubera and Raavana are the sons of a hermit wandering in the Himaalaya; born prematurely, Kubera, is malformed. Vaishravana/Kubera lives near the Mount Kailaasa with Shiva. Monier-Williams the great lexicographer (find him and his digitized Sanskrit-English dictionary that covers many Indo-European derivations by 'Googling'), gives the derivation of these names, and of 'svastikam' (neuter noun) as composed of su + astikam, the 'v' coming in according to the modes of euphony. "astikam" is related to 'est' in French and 'ist' in German.
Reply | Report Abuse | Link to thisThere is a benediction: "May Vaishravana give you wealth" in Sanskrit. The metal sculpture shows him in Central Asian dress. What is the relationship of the language of the Bon people and Vedic (really Vaidic) Sanskrit? The point to wonder about is "What instruments or carving methods were used to create so exquisite an image from such hard material?"
The Buddhist swastika originates as a symbol of the four seasons. Each branch of the swastika represents a standing maiden with long hair streaming-out behind her as the wheel if life rotates endlessly, bringing each season into play throughout each year.
Reply | Report Abuse | Link to thisHi, I am helen
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