A garden doorstep at a home in Devon in the UK has been identified as a rare Sri Lankan artefact expected to fetch more than £30,000 at auction.

The auctioneer Bonhams says the carved granite step is a Sandakada Pahana – or moonstone – similar to those found in temples dating from Sri Lanka’s Anuradhapura period (c400BC-1000AD).

Sri Lanka’s director of archaeology says it is unclear if it is authentic…But if so, he believes the authorities should take steps to acquire it.

The stone was found in the garden of a bungalow in Devon. Its owner said that it was originally in a home in Sussex that her family had bought in 1950.

Bonhams says the house had been purchased from a tea planter who had lived in Sri Lanka…

The stone will be put up for auction in Bonhams’ Indian and Islamic sale in London on 23 April.

This is why everyone in America watches ANTIQUES ROADSHOW on PBS. Those exciting moments when you discover something you’ve played with since you were a child is worth more than your car.