On January 9, 1932, in the ruins of the ancient Indian settlement of Monte Albana in southern Mexico, a rich treasure of the 13th century belonging to the Zapotec people was discovered.
When and where else were the largest treasures in human history found?
1. Gulf of Finland
The Gulf of Finland is considered a cemetery for sunken ships carrying untold treasures. More than 6 thousand sunken ships rest on its bottom. In 1953, Finnish fishermen came across a ship that had been sunk near the islet of Borste, near the city of Turku. At that moment, he made no impression on archaeologists and historians. However, in 1961, divers from Sweden began studying it. It turned out that this was the galleon "St. Michael". On October 15, 1747, he headed from Amsterdam to the shores of St. Petersburg. On board were valuable cargo destined for the imperial court. Also, a gift was personally delivered to Empress Elizabeth Petrovna, in the form of a carved gold convertible. When permission to carry out work at depth on the Finnish side was received, Swedish divers opened the cabins and during the first days of the expedition they raised a lot of gold, inlaid precious stones, objects. 34 gold snuff boxes, a set of watches made of gold and silver, porcelain. Among them was a gilded carriage for Elizabeth.
2. Baltic Sea
In the summer of 1999, a Finnish search expedition discovered the schooner Frau Maria, which was shipwrecked in 1771, on board which were treasures for the Hermitage - various works of art that were ordered from Holland by the Russian Empress Catherine II.
In the holds of the ship there were many paintings, which were not just sealed in boxes, but packed in leather cases, placed in lead vessels, and then filled with wax. In addition to paintings, there were other valuable items on the ship, such as porcelain, bronze, and products made from various precious metals.
After the treasures were actually found, legal proceedings began to determine who they should belong to - those who found them or those for whom they were originally intended. The court transferred the right of disposal to the discoverers. Russia did not agree with this. The case regarding this treasure has not yet been reached.
3. Moscow Kremlin
In 1910, during the construction of shopping arcades (currently the GUM is located on this site), a treasure was found consisting of 4,820 copper kopecks dating back to the time of Alexei Mikhailovich.
At the Spassky Gate in 1939, two metal vessels were found that were filled with thirty-three thousand silver coins dating back to the reign of Alexei Mikhailovich and Mikhail Fedorovich. This is approximately before 1654.
During the reconstruction of Red Square in 1945, a treasure trove of silver coins was found, the minting of which dates back to the reign of Ivan the Terrible - Alexei Mikhailovich.
In 1965, a cache was discovered under the building of the Patriarchal Palace. There were two crosses made of marble and lapis lazuli and bound in gold. The products dated back to the 13th century. In 1884, a treasure was found there, consisting of letters with seals from the 14th century and documents.
In 1966, during the restoration of the Assumption Cathedral, a treasure was discovered consisting of temporal three-bead rings made of silver.
The treasure is the contribution of noblewoman Morozova to the Miracle Monastery of the Moscow Kremlin. XVII century (1664). Presumably hidden by monks in 1917 (walled up in the wall). Discovered in 1931 during the destruction of the monastery. Paten. Star. Spear. Workshops of the Moscow Kremlin. Gold, precious stones, pearls. Enamel, carving. Photo: Dmitry Korobeinikov/RIA Novosti www.ria.ru.
4. Strait of Gibraltar
A huge treasure was found in the waters of the strait near Portugal. The treasure was found by the American company Odyssey on a sunken Spanish military frigate in 2007. 500 thousand silver and gold coins, as well as jewelry and jewelry were lifted from its side. The cost of this one of the most expensive treasures was $500 million. The court handed over all the treasures found to the Spanish government as historical value.
5. Atlantic Ocean
In 2009, an incredible treasure worth more than three billion dollars was discovered in the Atlantic, off the coast of Guyana (a state in the northeastern part of South America). During the Second World War, a ship sank in those places, the holds of which were filled with gold, platinum and diamonds. According to the main version, the owners of this cargo were Soviet Union and Britain. The American company that discovered the treasure tried to classify information about it, but failed. There is a version that she paid the allies with these diamonds, gold and platinum Soviet Russia for clothing, food and weapons. In 1942, a treasure ship was torpedoed and sunk by a German submarine.
6. England
The “catch” in the amount of $5 million belongs to the English treasure hunter Dave Crypt, who in 2010, using a regular metal detector, discovered a vessel with ancient coins in a farmer’s field in Somerset County - there were more than 52 thousand of them. Some of them date back to the 3rd century. How the lucky man disposed of the find is unknown.
7. Chile
In 2005, specialists from the Chilean company Wagner, using their own engineering development - a robot capable of scanning the molecular composition of soil at a depth of 50 meters, found 600 barrels with more than 800 tons of gold.
It is believed that they belonged to the Spanish navigator Juan Ubill. In 1715, he buried a huge amount of gold on one of the islands of the Juan Fernandez archipelago off the coast of Chile.
The treasure was sought by many famous treasure hunters, for example, the American millionaire Bernard Kaiser, who sold his highly successful business producing fabric for NASA space suits in order to search for the Chilean treasure. However, only the Chilean company was lucky, which, by the way, later with difficulty defended its right to 50 percent of the value of the treasure from the Chilean government (the treasure was valued at $10 billion).
8. India
In the summer of 2011, the world's largest treasure was found, worth 22 billion dollars! The treasure was found in the Sri Padmanambhaswamy Temple in India, more precisely, in four of its crypts. The treasure consisted of precious stones, jewelry and gold coins, as well as countless works of art, the most outstanding of which was already recognized as a 1.2-meter statue of the god Vishnu, cast from pure gold and decorated with emeralds and diamonds.
The amount of treasure was so enormous that the officials who appraised them did not count the coins one at a time, but weighed them in whole bags.
Treasures that every archaeologist dreams of finding
1. Ark of the Covenant
According to the Bible, this is the greatest shrine of the Jewish people. The Ark of the Covenant (sometimes also called the Ark of Testimony) contained the tablets containing the Ten Commandments of Moses. The Old Testament says that the Ark was made of wood, but was trimmed with gold inside and out.
In 607 BC. e. Jerusalem, where the Ark of the Covenant was kept in Solomon's Temple, was besieged and then captured by the Babylonians. The Jews were able to retake the city only 70 years later. But when they returned to Jerusalem, they never found the Ark.
Historians and adventurers are still looking for it. Not only for the gold it contained, but also because the existence of the Ark would mean that many of the events described in the Bible were true.
2. Treasures of the Templars
Knightly order, which at first was right hand church, and then it was declared worst enemy, managed to acquire considerable wealth. The knights supposedly went to the Holy Land to guard the path to it for pilgrims, but in reality they were actively searching for ancient treasures and shrines. Some researchers suggest that the Templars managed to find the Ark of the Covenant, the Holy Grail and the treasures of King Solomon.
However, after the brutal reprisal of the knights of the order, most of the wealth was lost.
3. Tomb of Genghis Khan
Between 1217 and 1227, Genghis Khan created the largest empire in world history and became the most influential person planets. At his disposal were countless riches captured in China, India, and Ancient Rus'.
Historians are still wondering where these untold riches went. In particular, it is assumed that his tomb can eclipse all previous similar finds, for example, the tomb of Tutankhamun. According to legend, the conqueror bequeathed to kill every soldier who would participate in his burial, and then turn the river so that it passed over his tomb.
4. Amber room
Masterpiece art XVIII century, lost during the Second World War, has still not been found. According to one version, she was kidnapped by the Nazis and exhibited for review in Konigsberg, which was destroyed by Allied bombing.
According to another version, the Nazis exhibited a copy in Konigsberg, and the Amber Room itself was taken to an unknown location. There is also a version according to which the Nazis got a copy of the Amber Room, and the masterpiece itself was hidden on the orders of Joseph Stalin.
5. Blackbeard's Treasure
The pirate nicknamed Blackbeard sailed the Atlantic for only two years (1716-1718), but managed to loot more than enough. Just at this time, the Spanish colonialists were actively transporting gold and silver mined in South America, to Europe. And the pirate made good money by robbing Spanish galleons.
Blackbeard hid the loot somewhere, but the secret of the location of his hiding place went with him to the grave on the day when the British officer Robert Maynard caught the pirate and strung him up on a yardarm.
Some researchers believe that the key to the cache can be found in the remains of Blackbeard's ship, which was called Queen Anne's Revenge and was sunk by the British shortly before the pirate's death. The ship is believed to be located off the coast of North Carolina.
There are many mysterious secrets about treasures, especially those lost at sea during shipwrecks. Many people dream of finding treasure, whether they believe in it or not. Most of the legendary treasures are associated with pirates whose ships were wrecked during battles or strong storms. How many sunken ships are there that contain enormous wealth? The imagination paints endless pictures of incredible treasures, and many enthusiasts actually spend a lot of time searching for them. Some claim that these are just fairy tales and legends, but others truly believe that there are chests of gold waiting in the wings at the bottom of the ocean. Fortunately, there are enough people who want to help excavate the most big secrets on the planet. This collection contains a list of 10 legendary ocean treasures that have not yet been discovered.
Blackbeard's Treasures
In 1966, off the coast of North Carolina, archaeologists discovered the remains of a shipwreck, linking it with the ship of the famous pirate nicknamed Blackbeard. But the catch is that not a single ounce of treasure was found anywhere around the ship. Blackbeard is the most notorious of all pirates, amassing vast amounts of gold and other riches. Many speculate that the treasure still lies somewhere off the coast of the Carolinas, but it is very difficult to determine its location. Even Beard himself once said that “only me and the devil know” where it is. According to rough estimates, the value of gold could be about $2.5 million.
Fortune by Jean Lafitte
French pirate Jean Lafitte made his fortune by attacking merchant ships in the Gulf of Mexico and then selling the stolen goods in one of the many ports he owned. Lafitte's accomplice was his brother Pierre. These two were so good at theft and robbery that they accumulated a lot of wealth and jewelry. As a result, the brothers had to hide their treasures somewhere, which gave rise to many secrets and legends. They had over 50 ships under their command, suggesting just how large the fortune was. After Lafitte's death in 1830, legends about his treasures began to spread throughout the world. It was said that part of his treasure was buried in “Lake Bourne,” on the coast of New Orleans. Another was said to be a possible site about three miles east of the “Old Spanish Trail,” on the Sabine River. On at the moment no one ever discovered the wealth, estimated at approximately $2 million.
Captain Kidd's Wealth
Late 17th century pirate William "Captain" Kyd is the origin of many myths about lost treasure. Kyd began plundering in 1698, attacking ships and amassing great wealth. But when he himself began to be hunted, Kidd decided to protect his treasures and began to hide them on various North American islands. Captain Kidd was eventually captured and hanged, with his treasure still buried in an unknown location. To add some reality to this myth, in the 1920s, four treasure maps hidden by “Captain” Kid were found in pieces of furniture believed to have belonged to him.
Oak Island Money Pit
The Money Pit, located in Nova Scotia, Canada, has spawned one of the longest running treasure hunts in the world. For hundreds of years, hunters have come to Nova Scotia to try to find the treasure, only to return empty-handed. In 1795, teenager Daniel McGinnis found a strange place on Oak Island where all the trees had been uprooted. Interested, he began excavation work in secret from the rest of the treasure seekers. He managed to find a message with an encrypted message that two million pounds were buried in this place, at a depth of 40 feet. Unfortunately, due to many obstacles and strong water flows, no treasure was found. There are several popular theories that are associated with the “Money Pit”: The pit contains pirate treasures, or the missing priceless jewels of Marie Antoinette. There is also a theory that English professor Francis Bacon used the pit to hide documents proving that he was the author of Shakespeare's plays.
Treasures of Lima
During the Peruvian revolt against Spain in 1820, the captain of a large British ship was tasked with delivering treasure that belonged to the city of Lima. The cargo was estimated to be worth $60 million and included two life-size statues of the Holy Virgin, made in solid gold, and 273 bejeweled swords and candlesticks. Captain Thomas was quite greedy and killed all the passengers, after which he sailed to Cocos Island and hid the treasure in a cave, hoping to keep it all for himself. On his deathbed, he spoke a little about the location of his treasure, which had never been found.
Treasures of John the Landless
In 1216 King John the Landless, also known as “The Bad,” was heading to Lynn in Norfolk. Along the way he contracted dysentery and decided that he must return to his Newark Castle. He decided to follow the route around Walsh, with its dangerous mud traps and swamps. King John and his soldiers were making their way through the marshes with carts full of his royal regalia when they fell into a deadly swamp. Carts full of an estimated $70 million worth of treasure, including jewelry, gold cups, swords and coins, were lost and never found.
Nuestra Señora de Atocha
In 1622, the Spanish galleon Nuestra Señora de Atocha was returning to Spain, full of gold, precious stones and rare silver, when it was overtaken by a hurricane. The impact of the storm was so severe that the galleon was thrown onto a coral reef and instantly sank under the weight of the treasure. An immediate attempt was made to salvage the treasure, which included 17 tons of silver bars, 27 kilograms of emeralds, 35 boxes of gold and 128,000 coins. Other ships were sent to the place where Nuestra Señora de Atocha sank. Unfortunately, a second hurricane struck and ruined any attempts to salvage the treasure. The crash site was never found again, until recently. In 1985, treasure hunter Mel Fisher found part of the $500 million treasure less than 100 miles off the coast of Key West. However, experts believe that approximately $200 million worth of treasure still lies somewhere at the bottom.
Legend of the Golden Man
There has long been a myth surrounding Lake Guatavita in the Colombian Andes. It spoke of Inca gold hidden at the bottom. The most popular theory is that the Golden Man, known as “Eldorado,” once dove into a sacred lake and his followers brought gold and jewelry there as a show of devotion. As a result, many visited the area in attempts to discover the treasure. Since the arrival of the Spaniards in 1536, 100 kilograms of gold artifacts have been mined from the muddy bottom of Lake Guatavita. In 1968, a gold bar was discovered in a cave, once again resurrecting the legend of El Dorado, or the “Golden Man.”
Treasures of San Miguel
In 1715, Spain assembled a fleet of ships filled to the brim with pearls, silver, gold and jewelry worth an estimated $2 billion. The ships were sent from Cuba just before hurricane season to prevent attempted hijacking by pirates. This turned out to be a bad idea, as the entire fleet of 11 ships was sunk just six days after setting sail. As a result, $2 billion is still buried at the bottom of the sea. After this catastrophic event, 7 of the ships were discovered, but only a small amount of valuable treasure was recovered. It is believed that the Treasures of San Miguel may be nearby eastern shores Florida.
Gold Flor de Mar
A 400-ton Portuguese ship called Flor De Mar (Flower of the Sea) was caught by surprise in a violent storm in 1511. She was shipwrecked on the reefs of Sumatra, split in two, and all the treasure was lost at sea. The story goes that Flor De Mar was carrying around 60 tons of gold, which is the largest treasure ever collected in the history of the Portuguese navy. It's no surprise that Flor De Mar has become one of the most wanted treasures in history.
Adventurers have long been attracted to treasures, a great number of which are hidden in the depths of the seas, deserts and in ancient hiding places. This is not only an adventurous adventure, but also interesting discoveries that lift the curtains in history, and romance from the past that makes itself known. The most amazing thing is that not only archaeologists and divers, ragpickers or treasure hunters can find something valuable. Sometimes such a chance comes along and ordinary people. The main thing is that the wealth found is not underestimated! Here are 11 of the most valuable and interesting treasures found in the last decade!
1. “Treasure of the Naryshkins” in St. Petersburg, 2012
In March 2012, in St. Petersburg, during the restoration of the ancient Trubetskoy-Naryshkin mansion at 29 Tchaikovsky Street, workers found a walled-up room filled with dishes. Most of the devices bore the Naryshkin family coat of arms. The collection was complemented by French knives with mother-of-pearl and porcelain painted handles, several Easter pendants in bulk and on a chain, stored in a case with the mark of Faberge, and orders Russian Empire- a total of 2168 items. All items were carefully packed in vinegar-soaked cloth and 1917 newspapers. Apparently, the owners expected to return.
2. Donations in an Indian temple, 2011
This is one of the largest treasures in modern history. The treasures hidden in the lower tiers of the Sri Padmanabhaswamy Temple have been valued at $22 billion. This is 6% of India's total gold and foreign exchange reserves. The temple's guardians began filling six underground vaults with donations from the 14th century.
3. One and a half hundredweight of Roman coins, 2010, Great Britain
The bronze coins were kept in a clay jug, which was located only under a 30-centimeter layer of earth. The treasure was found by an amateur archaeologist. The total value of the coins has not been disclosed.
4. Gold and jewels in Staffordshire, 2009
The treasure, discovered by Englishman Terry Herbert, consisted of five kilograms of gold, three kilograms of silver and precious stones. The treasure hunter stumbled upon the treasure while exploring the territory of his friend's farm with a metal detector.
5. Collection of coins from the German library, 2011
A box filled with unique Greek, Roman and Byzantine coins was found among the books of the state library in one of the towns of Lower Bavaria by an ordinary cleaning lady. Perhaps the collection was hidden in 1803 from the authorities, who confiscated coins and books stored in monasteries for the benefit of the state. The cost of the find is several million euros.
6. 17 tons of silver at a depth of 2.5 km, 2011, Atlantic
About 17 tons of silver were discovered on board the British steamer Mantola, which sank in Atlantic Ocean. The ship was wrecked as a result of an attack by the German submarine U-81. The value of the treasure exceeds $19 million. True, no one has yet been able to lift it from such a depth.
7. Half a million gold and silver coins, 2007
In May 2007, Odyssey Marine Exploration announced the discovery of a sunken ship with 500,000 gold and silver coins on board. The treasure was recovered and shipped to the United States, but the company did not say who owned the sunken ship or where exactly it was found.
8. 48 tons of English silver, 2012, Atlantic
In February 1941, the Gairsoppa was torpedoed by a German submarine. The transport sank 300 nautical miles off the coast of Ireland. There were 85 crew members on board the ship. Only the second mate, Richard Ayers, managed to escape. About 48 tons of silver - 1203 bars - were recovered from the ship.
9. 700 gold coins, 2011, Caribbean
Off the coast of the Dominican Republic, divers from the American organization Deep Blue Marine recovered 700 coins dating back to 1535 and gold jewelry from a sunken ship. The cost of the find is several million dollars.
10. 53 tons of platinum on a British ship, 2012, USA
In 2009, American treasure hunter Greg Brooks announced that he had discovered unimaginable treasures lying on the bottom of a British merchant ship off the American coast, with which Great Britain and the USSR paid for equipment supplied from the United States under Lend-Lease. Then Brooks, fearing competitors, named only the approximate cost of what was found - $3.5 billion, without disclosing the location of the find.
Three years later, Greg Brooks named the ship - "Port Nicholson" - and clarified that it was sunk by a German submarine. “We don't have enough equipment to cope with two to five knots of current, almost zero visibility and difficult open ocean conditions,” Brooks said, complaining that he didn't have $2.5 million for adequate underwater equipment. No one has yet succeeded in lifting treasures from the bottom of the ocean.
11. 500-year-old ship with $13 million worth of gold found in the desert, 2016
Namibian diamond miners stumbled upon the wreck of a 500-year-old ship in the desert off the coast. The Portuguese ship Bom Jesus ("Good Jesus") disappeared in 1533 on its way to India. Found under a very impressive layer of sand, the ship rested on the site of an ancient man-made sea lagoon, which has now turned into a salt lake. Gold and silver coins were found in the hold, as well as many elephant tusks. The total value of the goods is estimated at more than $13 million.
The ship was found by diamond miners after draining one of the salt lakes near the Skeleton Coast. Ships are discovered from time to time in these places, but the Portuguese cargo ship is the oldest of all those found and the only one whose cargo is of such value.
Items found on the ship, with a spatula to give an idea of scale: an astrolabe (in the center), a frying pan and some pottery. Things were well preserved. Prayer beads and silver Portuguese coin.
In the holds were found many Spanish, Portuguese and Venetian gold coins, ivory from West Africa, German copper ingots, weapons and, of course, skeletons.
While some only dream of finding valuable artifacts, others, armed with tools, go to excavations. The discovery of ancient treasures is always an exciting event. It is difficult to count how many treasures have been found in Russia today, but it is worth highlighting the five most famous.
The largest treasures in Russia
Scythian Gold
The vast space between the Danube and Don is strewn with many mounds left after the disappearance of the Scythian tribes. Raids on burial mounds began in the Middle Ages, and today’s collection of the Hermitage and other museums is replete with a huge number of gold items from Scythian burials.The Scythian gold treasure has become notorious
Vladimir Golden Gate
According to legend, oak doors were covered with copper sheets with a thick layer of gilding. They disappeared in 1238, during the offensive of the Tatar-Mongol troops. Legend says that at the moment they rest at the bottom of the river. Klyazma.
According to legend, the Golden Gate in Vladimir still holds a treasure
Kolchak's Gold
Over 1600 tons of gold. Kolchak used some of the gold to buy weapons. The second part was found by Red Army soldiers after his arrest. And there are conflicting rumors about the third part of the gold reserves, but all traces lead to Tyumen.
Kolchak hid one of the most legendary treasures in Russian history
Napoleonic treasure
The looted wealth of Moscow was placed on two hundred carts. With the onset of winter, Napoleon's troops returned to France, but the difficulties of movement forced them to get rid of some of the booty along the way. Along the route from Moscow towards Smolensk, it was possible to discover many valuables, but the fate of the main part is unknown to this day.
It is unknown whether anyone will find Napoleon's treasure in Russia
Treasure hidden by Sonya Zolotoy Ruchka on Khitrovka
Having a weakness for jewelry, the cheat skillfully appropriated them for herself. It is believed that in the center of Moscow, she hid a huge diamond. The exact location is not known. According to legend, the fraudster hid it in a samovar buried next to the Khitrov market.
Secret treasures are also kept in the center of Moscow
Top most famous treasures of world history
But not only in Russia, hidden treasures can be found all over the world. There are legends about them, movies are made, books are written. Every year thousands of people from all over the world try their luck in search of sunken ships, pirate hiding places, caves, grottoes, and carry out excavations in the most various parts globe. Here is a list of just some of them:Treasure on the island of Java (Indonesia)
Just recently, an amazing find was discovered consisting of 14,000 pearls, 4,000 rubies, 400 dark red sapphires, and 2,200 garnets. They were discovered on a ship that sank more than 1000 years ago. Treasure hunters also found small flasks for perfumes, jars made of baked clay, dishes, vases from the Fatimid dynasty, which once ruled Ancient Egypt. Such 10th-century finds from sunken ships are extremely rare, and this will fill a large gap in knowledge about those times.
The treasure from the island of Java became one of the largest
Treasures of Tillya-Tepe in Afghanistan
In northern Afghanistan near Shibargan in 1979 (a year before the entry of Soviet troops) archaeological excavations under the leadership of V. Sarianidi. A treasure consisting of approximately 20,000 gold ornaments was discovered in six graves. The find consisted of coins, belts, necklaces encrusted with precious stones, medallions and a crown.Treasure discovered in Staffordshire
In 2009, archaeologist Terry Herbert discovered a treasure dating from the Anglo-Saxon era. The treasure weighed 10 kg and consisted of gold, precious stones, and silver. Among the items were armor, swords, dishes, and religious objects.Pirate's Treasure - Florida Beach
In 1984, treasure hunter Barry Clifford discovered a treasure that once belonged to pirates on the Florida coast. About five tons of various valuables were recovered from the shipwreck. The treasure was valued at $15,000.
Pirate treasures are stored on the seabed
Treasure of Tutankhamun (Egypt)
In 1922, Howard Carter discovered a golden coffin, made in an unsurpassed manner, in the tomb of Tutankhamun, as well as a throne, masks and many other treasures. The tomb was the first that had not been looted before. The find was hailed as a huge discovery.
Tutankhamun's treasure is recognized as a great treasure
Pereshchepinskoe treasure (Bulgaria)
The treasure was discovered by accident in 1912 in the village. Maloye Pereshchepino in Ukraine, 13 km from Poltava. The shepherd boy literally fell into the Kuvrat tomb, which belonged to the founder of Great Bulgaria, Asparukh's father. More than 800 items, weighing gold items - 25 kg, silver items - 50 kg. Amphoras, dishes, cups, 12 gold and 11 silver bowls, stirrups, a blade in a gold sheath, a saddle, etc. were found.The largest treasure found
History contains many legends about treasures and the lucky people who managed to find them. But there are treasures the sight of which will take the breath away of the most notorious skeptics. In the dungeons located in the Sri Padmanabhaswamy Temple (India), researchers were able to discover countless treasures that amazed the whole world.
The largest treasure found in the world was discovered in the Sri Padmanabhaswamy Cathedral. Five hidden vaults were uncovered in the Sri Padmanabhaswamy Cathedral, built in honor of the god Vishnu. According to experts, their price is 25 billion dollars, and this gives grounds to consider it the largest treasure to date. To date, research continues in 2 more secret chambers and, perhaps, new hiding places will be discovered. The largest treasure in the world included gold coins, bars weighing about 2 tons, a diamond necklace 5.5 m long, and several bags of diamonds. And the most outstanding find is considered to be a statue of the god Vishu, made of gold, 1.2 m high.
Ancient treasures continue to be found in Russia Very often, problems arise with the right to own the discovered treasure. For example, treasures found by the American company Odyssey near Portugal from a sunken Spanish military frigate. 500,000 coins, jewelry and jewelry were brought to the surface. The fate of these artifacts has not yet been determined. The Spanish government has put forward its right, but the company is defending its rights, since the treasure was discovered on neutral territory. The frigate Nuestra Señora las Mercedes was transporting coins from the Spanish colony to Peru in 1804, and was sunk by the British near Cape St. Mary. About 200 frigate sailors were killed in the explosion. Treasures often contain not only jewelry, but also money.
28.09.2015
Sometimes it seems that treasure hunters only exist in adventure books. And in modern world It is naive to count on finding treasures by chance. Our ranking of the Top 10 most famous treasures in world history proves the opposite. This means that the earth and the depths of the sea still hold pleasant surprises for desperate treasure hunters.
10. Basement with a secret
Sometimes, to find the largest treasures, you don’t need to diligently wield a shovel. So, a married couple from France didn’t even have to leave their home to do this. The treasure was found in the basement of their house. One day, while trying to fix leaking water pipes, a couple from the city of Milo discovered a clay pot embedded in the floor. Its contents made the home owners forget about problems with the pipes. The jug was filled with old gold coins. There were a little more than 30 of them in total. However, according to a numismatist, today the find could be worth about 100 thousand euros. After all, all coins are of great interest to collectors. Thus, the most expensive of them is considered to be the louis d'or, issued during the reign of Louis XIII. An expert valued the 1640 coin at 6,500 euros. According to French law, spouses are the rightful owners of treasures. And all because the treasure was found on their private property.
9. Easy money
In 2010, Italian drivers could feel like real treasure hunters. Although there was no need to look for 1 and 2 euro coins. Money amounting to 2 million euros was scattered along the Autobahn. It happened near the city of Foggia in the south of the country. The whole point is that as a result of an accident, a cash-in-transit vehicle overturned. In its back they transported money from the Italian mint to the country's banks. Is this a treasure? Definitely for those drivers who feverishly stuffed coins into their pockets and left the scene of an accident. The police arrived quite quickly, but the short time was enough for passing drivers to grab a total of 10 thousand euros.
8. Profitable hobby
Englishman Lawrence Egerton has an interesting hobby. He loves to wander through the fields with a metal detector. Not to say that he is enthusiastically looking for treasures; rather, he is simply relaxing. In October 2014, during one of these walks, his headphones suddenly beeped. It could have been an old horseshoe or a tin can, but Egerton examined the find with curiosity. It turned out to be 2 ancient coins. The man decided to check the place more thoroughly. And armed with a shovel, he drove it into the ground. Very shallow underground he discovered a treasure consisting of copper coins. Realizing that he had found real treasures, Lawrence hastened to turn to specialists. Throughout the three days it took to prepare the group of archaeologists, Egerton did not leave the site of the find. He guarded the coins, preferring to sleep in the car. Experts who arrived at the scene determined that the coins belonged to III century n. e. Thus, from the county of Devon, 22 thousand coins of the Roman Empire migrated to British Museum. Presumably, the cost of the find is about 100 thousand pounds. Part of the funds is due to the owner of the land in which for many years the coins were lying around. The rest will rightfully go to Lawrence Egerton.
7. Princely cache
In 1917, representatives of noble families and prominent merchant families were forced to hastily leave Russia. Leaving the country, each of them fervently hoped to return. Therefore, we took the minimum amount for the trip so that it would be enough for the first time. They tried to hide the main wealth in the form of family jewelry, silverware and masterpieces of painting more reliably until better times. So it turned out that the largest treasures found in the 20th century in Russia often have noble roots. Thus, the hiding place of the Yusupov princes was accidentally declassified shortly after the revolution. But the treasures of the Trubetskoy-Naryshkins lay in a secluded place until 2012. It was then that during the restoration of the outbuilding, a secret room was accidentally discovered. It contained 40 bags of real treasures. In addition to the already mentioned silver and jewelry, the bags contained orders and medals from tsarist times, and antique watches. All items were carefully packed in linen rags soaked in vinegar. Due to this, all 2168 items were preserved in perfect condition.
6. Reward for perseverance
Sometimes treasure hunters spend their entire lives searching for treasures. However, not everyone is lucky in this case either. Providence rewarded Richard Miles and Reg Mead for their perseverance. These two residents of the island of Jersey, located in the English Channel, spent more than 30 years of their lives searching for the treasure. And in 2009, hundreds of silver and gold coins were found. Professional archaeologists have already established the age of the coins. This kind of money was in use in 50 BC. e. Of course, this is an invaluable historical find. As for the more mundane facts: the treasure weighs about 750 kg, and the cost reaches 10 million pounds. The coins had been in the ground for an incredibly long time, and the metal had become caked with the soil. Therefore, the find is a huge block, but archaeologists expect to clean and separate the coins. And Reg and Richard, of course, will be rewarded. Although they modestly note that money does not play a special role in this situation. The men are happy that their long-standing dream of a treasure has come true.
5. Arturito smells treasure
There is Robinson Crusoe Island in Chile. This place is named so because for 4 whole years it was the home of the Scottish sailor Alexander Selkirk. And his story inspired Daniel Defoe to create his beloved book about Robinson Crusoe. So, one of the local private companies stated that countless treasures were buried in this place at a depth of 15 meters. Such conclusions were made possible by the use of the latest robot, which company representatives affectionately call Arturito. The robot is capable of scanning layers of earth to a depth of 50 meters, accurately determining what is hidden underneath. This time Arturito found 720 tons of gold. Apparently, the jewelry is a pirate treasure hidden on the island by the famous Spanish corsair Juan Esteban Ubilla back in the 18th century. His legacy is regularly searched for by desperate treasure hunters, methodically digging through every piece of land on the island. And “Arturito” found her gold in 2005. Be that as it may, there is still no information that the treasure was excavated.
4. Bellamy the Pirate's Treasure
The fearsome pirate Samuel Bellamy served in the navy long before his criminal career. Having boarded a ship at the age of 18, he fell in love with the sea with all his soul. He could only talk more passionately about his beloved. Maria Hallett met him in America, and the young Englishman was ready to lead the beautiful American down the aisle. But the groom was poor. And in order to earn money to support his young family, he became a pirate. In just a year, he established a good business. An extensive network of informants made it possible to identify ships whose holds were filled with a variety of valuables. The victim simply had no chance to escape from the fast frigate Vaida. This went on all year, and in 1717 Samuel managed to hit an unusually rich jackpot. The ship was filled to capacity with jewelry and gold coins. The pirate hurried to his beloved, now he could afford the most luxurious life. However, Maria did not wait for her beloved. Caught in a storm, the ship, along with its crew and treasures, sank. And so he would lie at the bottom Caribbean Sea, if not for archaeologist Barry Clifford. In 1982, on the sandbank, he discovered an old ship, and about 5 tons of real pirate treasure. By modern standards, this pirate treasure could be worth more than $15 million.
3. Whose crown?
During the demolition of an old building in the Polish city of Sroda Slaska, a treasure was discovered. This happened in 1985, and became one of the most notorious events of the 20th century in the world of archeology. The treasure consisted of 3,000 silver coins and 40 gold coins. In addition to ancient money, there were pendants, rings and other jewelry. Historians claim that gold jewelry was made in XII-XIII centuries. But another find is of greatest value. Among other treasures was a golden crown. It is not known for certain who it belonged to. However, experts suggest that the crown was made for Blanca Valois. Who was the first wife of the King of Bohemia and Germany, Charles IV of Luxembourg. By the way, the famous Charles Bridge in the Czech capital is named in his honor. As for the treasure, all its components are kept in museums in Poland. Most of it is in Szroda Śląska itself, and the rest can be seen in Krakow.
2. Do the impossible for silver
There is a company in the USA that specializes in marine treasures. After all, it’s no secret that the largest treasures are under water. As a result of numerous shipwrecks, the jewelry reserves of the seas are impressive. So, an American company carried out an operation of unprecedented complexity. More than 2.7 thousand silver bars were recovered from the bottom, the total weight of which was 108 tons. But besides the big find, OMEX has another reason to be proud. The fact is that the silver was located at a depth of 5 km. In 1941, the British merchant ship Gersoppa was carrying an incredibly valuable cargo. The precious metal was necessary for military needs. However, when 500 km remained from the coast of Ireland, the ship was sunk by a German submarine. Of the 85 sailors, only one managed to survive. And the silver ended up forever in the Atlantic Ocean. However, despite all the difficulties, OMEX managed to do the impossible. The first part of the treasure, weighing 48 tons, was brought to the surface in 2012. The next year we managed to get the rest. The total value of the treasure was 73 million dollars. In accordance with the official agreement, 20% of the find was transferred to Great Britain. And 80% of the treasure was received by the OMEX company.
1. Shocking discovery in the temple
The famous Padmanabhaswamy Temple is located in the Indian state of Kerala. Its main decoration is a 5-meter statue of Vishnu. The figure of the deity is completely covered with gold and lavishly decorated with precious stones. But it was not this remarkable exhibit that made the monastery famous throughout the world. In 2011, a cache filled to the brim with gold was found at the base of the temple. The weight of the objects was an incredible 30 tons, and their value was 22 billion dollars. Historians suggest that the rulers of Travancore stored the valuables for several hundred years.
Who doesn't dream of finding treasure? But do not forget that easy-to-get money does not always bring happiness. And then, it’s much more useful to look around. It is quite possible that your greatest treasure has been drinking coffee with you in the morning for many years.