National treasures: In this photo taken Tuesday, a security guard stands near wares salvaged from a wooden Chinese ship that sank more than 1,000 years ago in the Java Sea, on display in Pamulang, on the outskirts of Jakarta. A long awaited auction of the ancient treasures opened in the capital on Wednesday, but closed abruptly as there were no registered bidders. The auction, announced barely a week ago, had been expected to fetch at least $80 million for a collection of more than 270,000 pieces of valuable ceramic pots, jewelry and crystals dating back to the 10th century. AP/Achmad Ibrahim
The auction for over 250,000 artifacts recovered from the depths of Cirebon waters, West Java, closed Wednesday without any bidders nor purchases.
"There was an auction but it was closed instantly because there were no bidders," Sudirman Saad, the Secretary General for the National Committee of Excavation and Utilization of Precious Artifacts from Sunken Ships, said.
Fadel Muhammad, the Maritime and Fisheries Minister and chairman the National Committee of Excavation and Utilization of Precious Artifacts from Sunken Ships, said the committee, which oversees the auction, would need weeks or a month to decide what to do next.
"The next step is we will have a meeting among the committee, and then we will decide what we will be doing according to the regulation...of course we will consult with the president," he said.
The artifacts, which included ceramics from ancient China, as well as precious gems, are estimated to be worth US$80 million.
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