Mushroom hunters stumble on stone carving — and make an ancient discovery in Thailand
A group of villagers in central Thailand walked to the edge of the Dong Yai Wildlife Sanctuary, then stepped into the forested oasis.
The sanctuary, part of four connected parks creating a wildlife corridor, was created in part as a way to protect tigers moving across the country.
The group was on the hunt for mushrooms, but soon, they would make a much bigger discovery.
As they searched the forest floor, they came upon a large stone and saw a face looking back at them, according to a May 13 news release from the Department of National Parks, Wildlife and Plant Conservation.
It was a carving of a person with long hair holding a tree branch above their head, photos shared by the department show.
The villagers reported the carving to officials once back in town, and on May 13, researchers traveled into the park to find the carving for themselves, according to the release.
When the researchers reached the carving, they took photos and measurements, saying the piece of art was ancient, but determining its age would require more testing.
The stone carving was located less than a mile from a historic Buddhist temple, officials said, a building that was allowed to be inside the bounds of the park for religious practices, monasteries and residences for monks.
Park officials said they will be exploring the paths and areas around the carving for more clues, but for now, the face remains a mystery.
Another ancient carving depicting Yama, the God of Death, riding a buffalo was smuggled out of the sanctuary before it was confiscated and placed on display in San Francisco in 2021, park officials told Thai PBS World.
Facebook Translate was used to translate the post from the กรมอุทยานแห่งชาติ สัตว์ป่า และพันธุ์พืช.
This story was originally published May 14, 2024 at 5:03 PM with the headline "Mushroom hunters stumble on stone carving — and make an ancient discovery in Thailand."
