From this discovery could get a real sensation. A few years ago from obscurity surfaced thousand years old statuette weight of 10.6 kg and approximately 24 inches high, made of meteorite. Moreover, on the chest of a bearded man, reminding one of the Buddhas, boasted... swastika! However, the experts had doubts about the authenticity of this shape.

So whether this is not fake, designed for a brisk trade on the Antiques market, where lately not much with newfound ancient artifacts?

Recently results of research conducted by a team led by geologist from at the University of Stuttgart Elmar Buchnera (Elmar Buchner) and published in the scientific journal Meteorics and Planetary Science. Human figurine made of related to the rare class of taxicab, or iron meteorites (slightly more than 80 percent of iron and about 16 - Nickel)contained in the meteorite Ching (Chinge)Predpolozhitelno he fell to the ground 15 thousand years ago. This meteorite was found by Russian workers under leaching of gold on the banks of the stream Ching in Uryankhay territory (so called until 1921 modern Republic of Tyva). In 1913 gold N.M. Chernevich sent to the Imperial Academy of Sciences 30 samples of iron of different size and weight.

But in respect of astronomical origin hard as steel, material for idol doubt among experts was not and could not be. Chemical composition, unequivocally, that the material before us extraterrestrial origin. Another thing, cultural and historical value of this artifact. Here the opinions of the researchers divided. Some see a bearded male figurine image Tibetan Buddhist deity of Vaishravana (Vaisravana) - the God of wealth and one of the defenders of religion. The God of wealth Kubera (Kubera) Hindu mythology was the son of the wise man of Visausa, hence its second name of Viravan, meaning "son of Visausa". Under this name Kubera and entered the Pantheon of deities national religion of Tibetans Bon.

Scientists cannot say with certainty when he was made the statuette. Presumably in the eleventh century on the territory of present-day Tibet. The sculptor had to face not only the problem of handling extremely stubborn material. Considerable cost cost to decorate the finished work of art. The most part of the front side of the object covered with a layer of gold.

Because of the presence on the chest statuettes of ancient symbol of happiness swastika, which is mirrored upside down in Nazi mythology was designated as Hakenkreuz - literally "cross with hooks", concluded that she came to Germany after the famous Tibetan expedition under the leadership of the honorary member of the German ornithological society (DOG) Ernst Schafer (Ernst Sch?fer), later sturmbannfuhrer SS. Buchner, according to Spiegel, said that in the catalog of items brought by Schafer from the expedition there were several objects, decorated with swastika. Unfortunately, the full list of artifacts have not survived. It is unknown where and under what circumstances Schaefer could get "Iron man" (Eisenmann). For many years the statuette was in a private collection. Study only after the artifact was offered for sale.

"We believe the statue was brought to Germany by the Tibetan expedition 1938-1939 years, which on behalf of the government the national socialist state was headed by the ethnologist and zoologist Ernst Schafer", the report says. In this scientific expedition was participated exclusively by the SS. Here was talk that the statue had brought allegedly because of a swastika on his chest.

We remind our readers that in 1938 the Reichsfuhrer-SS Heinrich Himmler and founded earlier occult society "Heritage of ancestors" (Ahnenerbe) was concerned with the equipment of the expedition in unexplored areas of Tibet and the Himalayas to search for survivors of the ancestors of the Aryans. Or, as he outlined the purpose of the expedition in the "Ahnenerbe", "to collect scientific evidence of origin and superiority of the Aryan race".

To lead the expedition was entrusted scientist-ornithologist, while untersturmfuhrer SS Ernst Schafer, who in 1933 joined the Nazi party and has twice (in 1930 and 1934 years) visited those places and was considered an expert. Both the previous expedition was headed by the American Brooke Dolan (Brooke Dolan). The third expedition years 1938-1939 received in the Third Reich name Deutsche Tibet-Expedition of Ernst Sch?fer ("German expedition to Tibet Ernst Schafer"). on April 21, 1938 Schaefer and his four companions departed from Genoa in the Himalayas.

Because the British-Indian authorities refused expedition in Tibet, Schafer managed to get an invitation from the Tibetan Ministerial "closed city" Lhasa. Later proudly reported to Berlin that the "first of Germans in the Holy city received with great respect". Members of the expedition gave a great number of gifts, including, as the historian Peter Mirow (Peter Mierau) in his book, "the Policy of the national socialists in the field expeditions" (Nationalsozialistische Expeditionspolitik), were "dried sheep, swine mummy, flour, rice, fodder for horses and almost a thousand eggs". In short, has reported about successes. After "final victory" Third Reich Tibetans could be classified as "Union race" (B?ndnisrasse).

In August 1939 the expedition with fanfare met at the Munich airport. Among those who welcomed himself was Heinrich Himmler. For his services, the expedition leader, Ernst Schafer received from the hands of reisefuhrer personal premium token ring "Dead head" (Totenkopfring), as well as an honorary sword "Black order".

But here's the expert on Buddhism Achim Bayer (Achim Bayer) from Dongguk University in Seoul doubts in this story. He wrote in the article, which is available at Hamburg center for the study of Buddhism that the statue from his point of view was made not in Asia and in Europe. Moreover, writes "Shpigel", relatively recently. Thus the Buddhist lists the error was detected in the statuettes, which he calls "Lama in his pants". Among other things Bayer notes atypical form of pants and shoes, individual earring, and a beard men.

Scientist suggests that the statue appeared in the period between 1910 and 1970. The meteorite could get to Germany raw. Perhaps the figure made for the trading of Antiques, says Beyer, or specifically for collectors of Nazi symbols. In both cases, the relationship with the expedition of Ernst Schafer hinted quite consciously to give "Iron man" mystery and appeal. It is good that the scientist allows himself skepticism, but still some versions are replaced by others.