From advanced deep-sea expeditions to your scruffy neighbor armed only with the metal detector he sold at Walmart, treasure hunters have a common goal—to someday strike it rich. So dust off that old fedora and get ready to channel your inner Indiana Jones as we take a look at some of the greatest discoveries of all time.
10. Monumental discovery
An abandoned salt mine near the Alpine village of Altaussee in Austria provided the perfect hiding place for priceless works of art looted by the Nazis during World War II. The haul, which included Michelangelo's Bruges Madonna and eight panels of Jan van Eyck's Adoration of the Lamb, was intended for the Führermuseum, an unrealized tribute to the failed artist who became dictator Instead, while Hitler was hiding in his bunker, members little-known American military unit became unlikely heroes after the discovery of the stolen loot in the spring of 1945.
The Allies established a program called " Monuments, Fine Arts and Archives Section (MFAA), to help protect (and ultimately return) cultural property damaged by war. The group of volunteers consisted of men and women who shared their experiences as art historians, museum curators, professors and architects.
Since the war, several MFAA members have gone on to prestigious careers at leading universities and art institutions around the world. And in 2014, some of them were portrayed in the film "People-monuments" starring George Clooney.
9. Tombs of Saqqara
Necropolis in Saqqara more than 4,000 years old, it served the former Egyptian capital of Memphis. Over the past decade, archaeologists have discovered numerous amazing finds , including hundreds of elaborately decorated sarcophagi and dozens of mummified cats.
Situated on the west bank of the Nile River about 15 miles south of modern Cairo, the sacred burial site is known as the "Ancient Animal Cemetery" - a vast temple complex associated with the popular cat goddess Bastet, protector of the home and families . . Recent excavations have uncovered a large bronze statue of a deity and more than 100 gilded wooden cat figurines.
In addition, a group of Egyptologists discovered inside the burial shaft 13 foot long scroll . The papyrus text contains excerpts from the Book of the Dead, a guidebook that helps believers navigate the afterlife.
8. Caesarea
Scuba diving is a popular activity among scuba diving enthusiasts around the world. Although exploring the ocean depths comes with its own risks (like drowning or being eaten by a shark), sometimes a casual outing with friends can lead to unexpected rewards. .
In 2015, members of a local diving club near Tel Aviv spotted something glittering at the bottom of an abandoned harbor in Caesarea National Park. Further examination revealed a cache of 24-karat Fatimid gold coins caliphate , a Shiite Arab dynasty that ruled the Mediterranean coast from 909 to 1171 AD.
The divers quickly alerted the Israel Antiquities Authority's (IAA) Marine Archaeology Unit, which eventually discovered more than 2,000 coins—Israel's largest gold horde. The discovery was made possible by a recent violent storm that stirred up the ocean floor, changing the underwater topography.
According to IAA numismatic expert Robert Cole , "the coins are in excellent condition and, despite having been at the bottom of the sea for about a thousand years, they did not require any cleaning or intervention from a metallurgical laboratory."
7. Cuerdale Hoard
In 1840, workmen repairing a river embankment in Cuerdale in northern England discovered the largest silver hoard of the Viking Age, ever found in Western Europe. The haul dates back to the early 10th century AD and was buried in a heavy lead chest containing silver coins and bars worth 3.2 million dollars in modern currency.
It is known that Scandinavians travelled along an established route in the Ribble Valley between Viking-controlled York and the Irish Sea. Some archaeologists believe the invaders deliberately hid the chest for reasons related to pagan beliefs.
Scandinavian mythology suggests that burial items, such as trophies won in battle, could be used in the afterlife. As the story goes, fallen warriors were escorted by Valkyries (glamorous war goddesses) and taken to Odin's mythical hall in Valhalla, where they partied like it was 1099 before heading off to the final battle of Ragnarok (the end of the world). In other words, you can actually take it with you to Viking heaven.
6. Hoxne Hoard
Searching for misplaced household items can be a tediously tedious task, often accompanied by self-deprecating outbursts of "I'm an idiot!" However, sometimes these mental lapses are rewarded with other things that are much more valuable than the change under the sofa cushions.
In 1992, Peter Watling, a tenant farmer in the English village of Hoxne, lost his hammer in a muddy field. Unable to find it himself, he enlisted the help of his neighbour Eric Laws, who had a metal detector. The World War II veteran (a Marine) soon came across an oak chest containing the richest Roman find ever found in Britain .
The Suffolk Archaeology Team later carried out an emergency investigation at the site, uncovering around 15,000 gold and silver coins, as well as other historically significant items. The dig also uncovered the missing tool. Eureka! Most of the coins date back to the early 5th century AD, a period when 400 years of reign Roman Empire over Britain has finally come to an end.
For his efforts, Lawes received £1.75 million from the British government, which he split with Watling. Today, the Hoxne Hoard is on display at the British Museum in London, including the now infamous hammer .
5. SS Gairsoppa
In the early stages of World War II, German U-boats wreaked havoc on Allied shipping in the North Atlantic. One of those victims, the British merchant ship SS Gairsoppa , sank about 300 miles southwest of Ireland's Galway Bay after being torpedoed. The watery grave remained undisturbed for 70 years before It was discovered by an American treasure hunting company , resulting in the largest amount of pure silver ever recovered from the sea.
The steam-powered cargo ship was tasked with carrying a large consignment of silver bullion from Calcutta to Liverpool, a 5,000-mile voyage through treacherous, Nazi-infested seas. The slow-moving freighter was later forced to break away from the convoy to refuel, allowing U-101 attack an easy target.
Seven decades later, Odyssey Marine Exploration has discovered the sunken ship Gairsoppa at a depth of more than 15,000 feet during ROV (remotely operated vehicle) operations. Deep sea experts recovered 2,792 silver bars worth $210 million from the wreck. The Royal Mint later issued a limited number of .999 pure silver coins. It is also worth noting that 25 of the original silver bars remain at large.
4. King Tut
This year marks the 100th anniversary of the opening. tombs of Tutankhamun. Although the young ruler was not a particularly important king, his immaculately preserved royal burial chamber has provided invaluable insight into ancient Egyptian culture.
The tomb of Tutankhamun, unlike the tombs other pharaohs , escaped plunder by robbers and remained sealed for over 3,000 years. After spending five years exploring the Valley of the Kings, November 26, 1922British archaeologist Howard Carter discovered the tomb. He eventually found about 5,000 items, including chariots, ornate jewelry, and a gold death mask. The tomb also contains the well-preserved mummified body of the boy king, who ascended the throne at the age of nine and ruled until his death ten years later, around 1323 B.C.
The artifacts were later displayed in museums around the world and even inspired a hit movie. "King Tut" performed by comedian Steve Martin and the Toot Uncommons (actually members of the Nitty Gritty Dirt Band).
3. Atocha Matloud
The saying, “If at first you don’t succeed, try and try again,” certainly applies to the next item on our list. Legendary deep-sea explorer Mel Fisher spent nearly two decades searching for a legendary Spanish galleon laden with silver, gold, and rare emeralds worth a whopping $400 million.
Journey ill-fated "Nuestra Señora de Atocha" , named after shrines of madrid , began in the early spring of 1622. The heavily armed ship set out as part of a larger fleet from Spain to the colonies of the New World. After spending five months collecting tons of goods from various ports, the bloated vessel arrived in Havana several weeks late. With the storm season approaching, neither skillful navigation nor divine providence could protect the convoy from the wrath of Mother Nature.
On September 5, 1622, the mahogany-hulled galleon was caught in a hurricane and eventually crashed into the jagged coral reefs off the coast of Key West. All 265 passengers and crew drowned, except for three sailors and two slaves who managed to cling to the mizzen mast until they were rescued the next day. The scattered remains of the Atocha, along with several other smaller boats, sank to the sea floor. Over time, all traces of the ships would disappear with subsequent severe storms.
Let's fast forward to 1969, when Fisher set out on his long journey, happily telling people that "today was the day" he would hit the jackpot. The adventure, however, would involve tragedy Fisher's son, daughter-in-law and another crew member died when their boat capsized in rough seas.
But despite everything, the intrepid treasure hunter did not give up. The few items from Atocha, including bronze cannons and gold bars, eventually led to the discovery of the mother lode in 1985.
2. Treasures of Antikythera
At the turn of the 20th century, Greek divers discovered an ancient Roman cargo ship off the Aegean island of Antikythera. The ship, dating to the mid-first century AD, contained an impressive collection of priceless jewelry, life-size classical statues, and an otherworldly piece of technology that became known as the Antikythera Mechanism. .
The hand-cranked bronze device is often described as the oldest example of an analog computer, and features a complex set of interconnected mechanisms capable of predicting the movements of the sun, moon, and several planets. It is believed that the “machine” was used to plan religious rituals, agricultural work, and possibly the first Olympic Games. Since it predates all such instruments by more than a thousand years, its historical significance cannot be overstated, and it is currently housed in the National archaeological museum in Athens.
1. San Jose
It has been hailed as the "Holy Grail of Treasure," though a more apt description might be "Holy Greed." On June 8, 1708, a three-masted Spanish galleon sank off the coast of Cartagena, Colombia, carrying a huge cargo of gold and silver coins. More than 300 years later, is coming a bitter legal battle for the rights to approximately $17 billion in sunken trophies.
« San -Jose" was the largest warship in the Spanish treasure fleet operating on the Carrera de las Indias, the trade route that connected Spain with its vast colonial empire in the Americas. But before the ship could return home, it was attacked British Royal Navy during Wars of the Spanish Succession At that time, most Western European powers were involved in a protracted conflict, provoked by the death of the heirless King of Spain, Charles II.
In November 2015, the Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution (WHOI), the same company that helped locate the Titanic, , discovered a lost galleon using a robot submarine. The discovery soon led to a heated debate about the dirty business of international law, national sovereignty and the decline of colonialism.
Claimants for the staggering sum include Colombia, Spain, WHOI and the descendants of the indigenous people from whom the cargo was originally stolen. Meanwhile, the treasure remains at the bottom of the sea in secret place (psst: it's not far from Baru Island).
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