Burmese Pagoda Relic - 18th-19th Century Earth-Touching Gesture White Jade Buddha

This Buddha statue emerged from a collapsed pagoda in the Mandalay region of Myanmar. It depicts the Buddha in the earth-touching gesture, symbolizing victory over temptation. The estimated age is between the 18th and 19th centuries. Overseas Chinese collectors commonly refer to this material as Burmese white jade. In reality, it is a type of stone unique to Myanmar, similar to marble. It is relatively soft, with a hardness that can be marked by a steel knife (around 5.5 on the Mohs scale). Buddha statues carved from this stone often suffer damage when excavated from pagodas. Many break at the neck due to insufficient density and hardness, making them prone to fracture at the slender neck area over time. This antique stone Buddha, however, has an intact neck. There is a small chip on the edge of its base. It measures 15 cm in height and 13 cm in base width. Locals who recover these artifacts from pagodas often take them for personal worship. However, due to financial hardship, some have exchanged family heirlooms and antique items with antique dealers and brokers for much-needed cash. ************************* Myanmar is a country that strictly controls the export of cultural relics. The act of taking antique artifacts out of the country is prohibited. Items such as Buddha statues and ancient Buddhist ritual objects are not permitted to leave the country! Therefore, any such artifacts found and available for purchase in Taiwan have likely been brought back through special channels by antique dealers.