Mon, Aug 03, 2009 - Page 5 News List

Man has ‘Indiana Jones’ moment in Mongolia

STUFF OF MOVIES: After a few hours of digging in the Gobi Desert, a 40-year-old amateur archeologist unearthed two crates filled with priceless treasure

AFP , ULAN BATOR

Danzan Ravjaa was best known for writing Mongolia’s first opera, Saran Khokhoo, or “Moon Cuckoo.” He staged the event at various monasteries across the Gobi Desert, raising money for building projects at his monastery. When Danzan Ravjaa died his mummified body was placed inside the White Temple of Khamaryn Khiid, and boxes of treasure were set around the body.

The relics remained there until the 1930s when the Mongolian army closed the monastery and arrested most of the monks, charging them with “counter-revolutionary activities.”

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