A 500-year-old bronze Buddha figurine has been repatriated to China following a formal handover ceremony in Denham, a coastal town in Western Australia’s Shark Bay region. The artifact, which measures approximately 15 centimeters (six inches) in height, was discovered buried near a roadside, sparking curiosity regarding its provenance and the circumstances of its arrival in Australia.

While the statue has been confirmed as a Ming dynasty relic, the path it took to reach a remote Australian roadside remains a mystery. The item was handed over to Chinese consular officials on Tuesday. According to reports, the statue will be transported to China, where experts intend to conduct further evaluations to verify its history and authenticity before it is eventually placed on public display in a museum. The return of the artifact follows a period of investigation by local authorities to determine its origins after the initial discovery. Despite the formal transfer, officials have not yet provided a theory on how such a significant historical object ended up in Western Australia, leaving the primary question of its journey unanswered.