Nurhachi's ashes

ARTIFACT
Nurhachi's Ashes
Origin
Culture	Manchu
Discovery
Date	1935
Discoverer	Indiana Jones
Collector	Lao Che

"At last I have the ashes of my sacred ancestor!"

―Lao Che

Nurhachi's ashes were the remains of Nurhachi, the first emperor of the Manchu dynasty in China. They were collected in a jade funeral urn and later smuggled out of the country and sold on the black market.

In 1935, Indiana Jones was hired by Lao Che, a Chinese crime lord, to retrieve the ashes. Jones discovered the ashes sitting in a Turkish pawn shop in Istanbul, and brought them to Shanghai. Lao Che's son, Kao Kan, attempted to steal the ashes and kill Jones before the official delivery meeting, but Jones stopped him, cutting off his finger.

Jones brought the artifact to Club Obi Wan to trade to Lao Che for some gems, including the Peacock's Eye. While Lao was examining the remains, Willie Scott accidentally caused Lao Che to spill some of the ashes. In the conflict between Jones and Lao Che's men, the table was overturned, and Nurhachi's ashes were further spilled over the club.

The prop urn currently resides in the Hollywood Museum (housed in the Max Factor building) in Los Angeles, California.

Appearances

• Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom
• Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom novel
• Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom junior novel

Sources

• Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom Sourcebook
• The Lost Journal of Indiana Jones