via Myanmar Times, 06 March 2020: An estimated 600 kg of gold covering the Buddha in Mahamuni temple! Worshippers adorn the image with gold leaf every day.
Experts will use ultrasonic sensors to measure the amount of gold in a venerated Buddha statue at one of Mandalay Region’s ancient pagodas, said U Soe Lin, chair of the pagoda’s trustees.
The trustees and experts are looking for ways to repair cracks that have appeared in the altar on which the Mahamuni Buddha rests.
“We will study the volume of gold in the statue’s body using ultrasonic sensors,” he said. “The sound waves will pass through the gold and resin, and will change if it hits bronze. In this way, we can figure out the composition of the statue,”
he added. “We will measure the volume to see how the present image is different from the original statue. I think the pilgrims gilded too much gold in the statue’s body.”
Source: Experts to measure gold in Mandalay Buddha image | The Myanmar Times
