200-year-old mummified 'meditating' monk stumps scientists
Authorities recovered the corpse from a smuggler who intended to sell it in black-market
LAHORE (Web Desk) -- The body of a monk nearly 200 years old has been found in a near-preserved state in Northern-Central Mongolia, baffling scientists in its wake as the corpse appears to have withstood the test of time.
The revelation came after a bootlegger, who had stowed away the corpse in a cave, had been caught by the authorities.
Found in Ulan Bator, the district capital of Songino Khairkhan, the body is said to be more than 200 years old. Upon its recovery, it has been sent to the National Center of Forensic Expertise pending further evaluation.
The monk whose identity is not clear at the moment was found sitting in lotus position. High ranking Buddhists claim that the body is in a state of deep meditative trance rather than dead.
The body was found in a well preserved state and this can be partially attributed to the cold climate of the region. However researchers are yet to ascertain the exact cause as to why the body has manifested little sign of wear and tear.
The smuggler in question, known by his alias Enthor, had the intention of selling the meditating corpse in black market. According to the law of Mongolia, smuggling an artifact of historical significance out of the country carries a heavy penalty of a fine of 3 million Rubles and up to 12 years of incarceration.
