CT Scan Reveals Ancient Mummy Inside This Buddha Statue

While this Buddha statue may look normal on the outside, it's anything but regular on the inside. Researchers have found that the statue contains a mummy in the same position and now, they've conducted a full CT scan of the statue in order to get a better look.

The mummy inside the statue is the only one of its kind ever found, according to CNET. It's thought to be the body of a Buddhist master named Liuquan of the Chinese Meditation School, who died around 1100 AD.

Currently, the statue (and the mummy) can be found at the Drents Museum at their Mummies: Beyond Life and Death exhibit. It's very possible that the mummy could be a case of self-mummification. This occurred when monks subsisted on water, seeds and nuts for 1,000 days and then roots, pine bark and toxic tea for another 1,000 days while sealed inside a stone tomb. They would breathe through a small tube and ring a bell to let everyone know they were still alive. Those who died and mummified were said to have achieved enlightenment.

The new CT scan, which was conducted at Meander Medical Center, revealed unprecedented details about the mummy. For example, they found that the mummy's internal organs had apparently been removed and filled with paper scraps filled with Chinese characters.

For now, the statue remains on display at the museum, a possible example of self-mummification.

You can check out an image of the statue here.

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