The Great Bell of Dhammazedi, it was said that the Dhammazedi was the largest bell in Burma. It is made by the order of King Dhammazedi of Hanthawaddy Pegu, and was given as a present to the Shwedagon Pagoda of Dagon.It is said to have been made of copper, gold and silver, the bell is said to have weighed nearly 300 tonnes (661,400 pounds).

The 270-ton bronze bell was cast in 1476 and is believed to be the biggest bell ever cast. By comparison, the Big Ben in London weighs 13.5 tons.

In early 1600s, the revered bell was stolen by Philip de Brito, the Portuguese dictator. However, Brito's vessel sank at the confluence of the Pazundaung Creek, Bago and Yangon rivers, taking with it the fabled bell.

The current attempt is not the first to retrieve the historic treasure. Deep sea diver James Blunt dove 115 times and used sonar imaging for guidance in the past without any luck.