The largest treasures in history. The largest treasure found in Russia
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. This 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. Money was transported in her back from mint Italy 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 likes 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. Specialists who arrived at the scene established that the coins belonged to III century n. e. Thus, from the county of Devon, 22 thousand coins of the Roman Empire migrated to the 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 the coins have lain for many years. 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 using the newest robot, whom 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 it would have remained at the bottom of the 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 3000 silver coins and 40 gold. In addition to ancient money, there were pendants, rings and other jewelry. Historians claim that gold jewelry was made in the 12th-13th 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 items 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.
Coca-Cola Company Share Certificate worth $130 million
One day, at a garage sale, American Tony Maron bought a box of documents for $5 (286 rubles). Among the papers, he found 1,625 shares of an oil company that later merged with another oil company that later merged with Coca-Cola. Thanks to its unexpected find Maron acquired rights to 1.8 million shares of this company, in the amount of $130 million (7.4 billion rubles). He became the largest individual shareholder in Coca-Cola.
The largest treasure in US history
In the late 1980s, an engineer named Tommy Thompson from the American state of Ohio discovered the largest treasure in US history. The man worked on the creation of various systems for nuclear submarines and, while still a student, became interested in searching for sunken ships and vessels. Thompson dreamed of finding the ship Central America, which sank in 1857. His search was crowned with success. On September 11, 1988, an engineer's robot lifted a ship's bell, ancient coins and a gold bar from the seabed. The total value of the gold finds was estimated at $150 million (8.6 billion rubles). One of the bars - weighing 36 kilograms - was recognized as the largest in the world and after some time was sold for $8 million (459 million rubles).
Nugget of gold
In 2013, in Australia, one of the local gold miners discovered a nugget weighing 5.5 kilograms; its value was estimated at $315 thousand (18 million rubles). A man stumbled upon a treasure in Ballarat. After the discovery, many gold seekers went to the famous place. In the summer of 2012, a piece of gold weighing four kilograms was found in the same area.
Treasure hidden in a lunch box
In 2006, Bob Kitts and Amanda Reece from Cleveland discovered two metal boxes in the wall of their home while renovating. Inside, Kids found stacks of banknotes wrapped in newspapers, dated March 25, 1951. The packages contained three packs of US dollars, one pack of $20 bills, the second - 50, the third - 100. Among them were rare specimens. After calculations, the total amount of the find was $23 thousand (1.3 million rubles). A week later, the couple discovered another treasure! The total cost of the two finds is $45 thousand (2.5 million rubles). In December 2017, The Plain Dealer newspaper wrote about the found treasure, and soon after that, the descendants of the former owner of the house, Patrick Dune, appeared. As it turns out, the businessman hid his money in a wall during the Great Depression. Ultimately, the court decided to divide the found money among all applicants, with each receiving no more than a few thousand dollars.
Action Comics #1, $2 million
The first issue of this series of Action Comics is estimated at $2 million (114 million rubles). This is the same comic in which Superman appeared in 1938. In Minnesota, one lucky person bought old house and during the renovation I discovered the same comic book. Initially, it was in poor condition and at an online auction they fetched $100 thousand (5.7 million rubles) for it. After restoration, the price of the comic rose to $2 million (114 million rubles).
A copy of the US Declaration of Independence worth $2.4 million
In 1989, a man came out of a flea market with a small painting for $4 (229 rubles). He didn't like the picture itself, but he appreciated the frame. At home, he removed the painting and found a copy of the Declaration of Independence on the back. A total of 25 copies are known to exist. In 1991, the document was valued at $2.4 million (137 million rubles), and in 2000 its value was already $8.1 million (466 million rubles).
Ancient treasure discovered on a British farm
In 1991, British farmer Peter Watling lost a hammer in a field and asked his friend Eric Lawres to help him find it using a metal detector. Suddenly the detector made a sound, the friends thought about a hammer, but, as it turned out, they discovered something else. It was a treasure with silver spoons, gold jewelry and old coins. They later reported the discovery to city authorities. The next day, archaeologists arrived and discovered 3.5 kg of gold, 24 kg of silver in the form of Roman coins, dishes and jewelry. Unfortunately, according to the law, the items found became the property of the state. But the farmers shared £3 million (239 million rubles) of the compensation paid.
Treasure in the wall
In the western American state of Pennsylvania, in the city of Windber, the owner of a house discovered a suitcase with old coins while cleaning. The cottage has been empty for more than 20 years; the former owners died. When the new owners decided to clean out the dilapidated building, they discovered a hole in one of the walls. When the wall was broken through, a suitcase containing ancient coins was discovered. Some of them were put into circulation in 1793; the cost of rarities reaches $8.5 thousand (487 thousand rubles). The total cost of the found treasure is estimated at $100–200 thousand (5.7–11.4 million rubles).
$2 million coin
A regular 1974 penny is worth just one cent, but not in our case. Robert Lawrence was the son of the deputy superintendent of the United States Mint in Denver. Robert's father left him a collection of coins in his lunch box. A few years later, Lawrence decided to move to San Diego, where he took the coins to an expert for evaluation. The inheritance was valued at only $300 (17 thousand rubles). However, among the coins there was one made entirely of aluminum. Only ten of these coins were made, all of which were subsequently destroyed because soda fountains would not accept them. As it turned out, one survived, and only this one is estimated at $2 million (114 million rubles).
Faberge Egg
One US resident bought at a souvenir fair golden egg worth $14 thousand (803 thousand rubles), in the future he planned to resell the acquisition. However, after a long time there were no buyers. Then the man decided to find out more information about the egg. As it turned out, the small souvenir turned out to be a lost Faberge egg. After some time, the man sold it to a private collector for $33 million (1.8 billion rubles).
Many treasures have been found in the world. The most interesting and valuable for collectors are those treasures that contained ancient coins. Where else can you feel the real breath of history? It is worth noting that the huge and valuable treasures were found by treasure hunters and just ordinary people in Russia. The finder is entitled to a certain percentage of the find, 25%, everything else is supposed to be transferred to the benefit of the state, as the cultural heritage of Russia. But for those who have found the largest treasures in Russia, the funds received will be enough for a comfortable life not only for themselves, but also for their grandchildren and great-grandchildren.
Interesting
The largest treasure in the world was discovered in India. It consisted of a huge number of gold coins and large ingots, the total weight of everything found was approximately two tons.
There were also several large containers filled to the brim with diamonds; all this splendor was completed by a necklace of diamonds a full five and a half meters long. But scientists do not consider this to be the most remarkable and valuable find. What struck those who found it the most was the beautiful statue of the god Vishu, cast entirely from the purest gold. Its height is 1.2 meters.
A considerable treasure was also found in Great Britain. Its total mass was 70 kg, it was discovered on the distant island of Jersey. The find is notable for being very ancient: historians have collectively estimated its age at 2,000 years.
The treasure consisted of gold and silver coins. Data banknotes were in circulation among one of the Celtic Coriosolite tribes, who inhabited the territories in the north of the province that currently bears the name Brittany. Experts believe that such a mass of money, unimaginable even by today’s standards, was hidden by the French Celts on this island immediately before the attack of Rome; its legionnaires in the 1st century. BC e. developed these lands, and at the same time conquered different tribes Gauls
Not very long ago, 4 years ago, a happy accident happened. The ship managed to lift an incredible treasure from the bottom of the Atlantic Ocean, its mass was about 48 tons of pure silver. This is the most enormous burden these days. precious metal, of all those located in the depths of the ocean. Its cost is incredibly huge and is approximately 38 million dollars! The ship, which had such a unique chance to remain in history, was called “Gersoppa”; it was located almost next to the shores of Ireland. The jewelry was not on a pirate ship, as one might first think, but on a simple military transport ship. This ship sank back in 1941 as a result of an irreparable torpedo strike by German troops.
The largest treasures in Russia
Russia also boasts beautiful and indeed very valuable finds worth several million dollars. The largest treasure in the history of Russia is the sensational treasure of the Naryshkins. It was found in 2012 by an ordinary worker who was then carrying out the restoration of the beautiful mansion of this fabulously wealthy family.
This man simply fell into a secret room in which all kinds of bags and boxes were placed. When describing the find, it became known that there were a total of 2,168 items there. This famous find included 5 almost complete sets of silver, where the ceremonial table service, which included more than 200 pieces, especially stood out famous company Sazikova. There were even items from Faberge and Keibel in the jewelry found. This incredible treasure is estimated by experts at $4 million, or 189 million rubles.
The treasure found by parishioners of the Church of the Archangel Michael, which at that time was under restoration, is also very famous in history. The temple is located in the village of Yusovo. Apparently, the royal coins and three military medals found by parishioners were the savings of this church, consisting of donations from Christians. Most likely, they had to be hidden in 1914, but despite the age of the coins, they were perfectly preserved; there was practically no corrosion on the found specimens.
Interesting
Among the coins, the oldest dates back to 1736, and the newest of them belong to kopecks from 1914. The denomination of the coins is small, the largest denomination is one ruble.
There are not many silver coins, only 716 pieces, the rest are smelted from ordinary copper. The copies are very worn out; on others you can’t even see what kind of coin it is. Parishioners are going to spend the reward for the find on further restoration of the church.
Another discovery near the church is also known. This church treasure was found in Vologda and was considered the largest, it was found in 1951. The treasures were accidentally discovered by workers who broke the basement wall of the Church of St. George on Navolok. When the wall was broken, a flood of 17th-century silver coins literally poured out onto the people. The coins turned out to be pennies, their total number was immediately 46 thousand copies.
How does the search for treasure happen?
Searching for treasures is impossible without one very important and necessary thing, a metal detector. Now they are constantly improving and are already able to not only sense metal and give a signal, but also show a number that indicates a certain type of metal. The device can also show the depth at which a metal object is located and even the expected size of the future find! Some of them even know how to identify gold nuggets and distinguish them from the rest.
In order to start searching for treasure, you need to be properly prepared. To begin with, you should go to a good, large library and carefully study old reference books and maps. Using them you can determine the place where you can find the treasure. After choosing, you need to find this place in Russia, and, if you’re lucky, dig up a real treasure there.
There will also be a lot of work at home with the items found. Firstly, everything that can be cleaned must be put in order, only with extreme caution so as not to damage it. Then, using special catalogs and reference books, it is necessary to determine what exactly was found, whether it is a valuable thing or just a trinket.
The summer of 2011 will be remembered by treasure hunters for a long time. The largest treasure in world history, worth $22 billion, was found in India, and the ship of the legendary pirate Henry Morgan was discovered off the coast of Panama, writes Alexey Bondarev in issue 33 of the magazine. Correspondent dated August 26, 2011.
Is it true that corsairs loved rum as much as Captain Jack Sparrow, Johnny Depp's character in Pirates of the Caribbean? Scientists will soon be able to answer this question.
A sensational discovery off the coast of Panama can tell archaeologists a lot about pirates. Scientists have discovered a well-preserved ship from the flotilla of the legendary captain Henry Morgan at the bottom of the sea. In its hold are closed chests. Most likely, they contain treasure, but some comedians suggest that if real pirates were at least somewhat like Sparrow, then the boxes would most likely contain rum.
Scientists have discovered a well-preserved ship from the flotilla of the legendary captain Henry Morgan at the bottom of the sea.
An entire expedition will soon set off for Morgan's chests: scientists still assume that one of the most successful pirates of his time will not leave them without a serious profit. Especially considering how much effort and money was spent searching for the ship.
Ironically, neither scientists nor sophisticated technology were required to make the second biggest find of the year. During a banal inventory during the transfer of the property of the Vishnu temple in the Indian state of Kerala into state ownership, probably the largest treasure in world history was discovered. Its value is estimated at $22 billion.
During a banal inventory during the transfer of the property of the Vishnu temple in the Indian state of Kerala into state ownership, probably the largest treasure in world history was discovered. Its value is estimated at $22 billion.
This figure seems impressive only at first glance, comments American expert Larry Fishburne. According to him, there are a number of independent estimates of the possible volumes of gold and jewelry that were lost or deliberately hidden during the course of human history, and although these estimates vary greatly, the Indian treasure is a needle in a haystack.
According to Fishburne, historians estimate that more than $1 trillion worth of gold and jewelry could be waiting in treasures and sunken ships around the world.
“Throughout history, humanity has mined approximately 150 thousand tons of gold,” says Fishburne. “At least a tenth of this volume is considered lost.”
Pirate treasure
For most modern Americans and British, Captain Morgan is a cheerful bearded face that adorns the labels on a bottle of the rum of the same name produced by Diageo. On the label, the captain has a wide-brimmed hat and funny trousers, and his cheerful face promises rum lovers real pleasure after uncorking the bottle.
In fact, Morgan, the legendary pirate of the 17th century, was by no means a sweetheart, and he has a very indirect relationship with rum. Pirates, as you know, loved to drink, but their main occupation was still robbery on the seas. And this is precisely where Captain Morgan has succeeded considerably.
The pirate, originally from Wales, managed to loot countless treasures that were never discovered after his death.
The pirate, originally from Wales, managed to loot countless treasures that were never discovered after his death. In this regard, the news that a group of American archaeologists had found one of the ships of the captain’s flotilla immediately became a sensation. Whether this find provides the key to the mystery of Morgan's treasures or whether it will remain unsolved, experts wondered.
Morgan lost five ships of his fleet in 1671 in events that could easily have been part of the plot. next episode Pirates of the Caribbean.
Morgan was by that time such an influential corsair that simple robbery of cargo ships plying the Caribbean Sea, stopped suiting him. The captain assembled a flotilla of five ships and set off to storm a rich fort near Panama City. In a dramatic military operation, Morgan managed to capture the fort, but all five ships were sunk during the fighting.
“There is a certain irony in this situation,” says Fritz Hanselmann, one of its authors, tells the story of the high-profile find.
Morgan lost five ships of his fleet in 1671 in events that could easily become part of the plot of the next Pirates of the Caribbean series.
Many years of searching for ships in the vicinity of the site of battles 400 years ago did not bring success, until last year scientists were lucky enough to discover several ship cannons of that era at great depths. Archaeologists realized that luck was somewhere nearby - but then they ran out of money for research.
Scientists turned to Diageo, the company that produces the rum named after Captain Morgan, for help, and big business came to the aid of science.
With money received from the alcohol manufacturer, archaeologists used the latest technologies - in particular, very complex instruments that can find metal at great depths thanks to fluctuations in the magnetic field.
During the expedition, the remains of a ship belonging to Morgan were discovered at the bottom of the mouth of the Chagres River, in central Panama. Scientists cleared one side of the ship of sand and silt and, looking into the hold, saw many locked chests decorated with coral ornaments.
During the expedition, the remains of a ship belonging to Morgan were discovered at the bottom of the mouth of the Chagres River, in central Panama.
Researchers have not yet been able to understand whether the ship will give the key to lost treasures pirate. It is unlikely that Morgan’s loot will end up on board the found ship: most likely, he was smart enough not to take all his savings with him “for business.”
However, sealed chests still promise interesting finds. The chests will be raised to the surface during the next expedition. Whatever turns out to be in them, it will be one of the largest archaeological finds of recent times, scientists are convinced.
Divine Savings
Whatever is found in the hold of Morgan's ship, it will be a much smaller find in terms of scale than the one made in July in the Indian state of Kerala.
In a temple with a name that a person born outside of India cannot pronounce without hesitation (Sri Padmanabhaswamy), the largest treasure in the history of mankind was found. The gold and jewels in the temple's secret treasury are valued at $22 billion.
If the government nationalizes the treasures found (and everything is heading towards this), then India’s gold and foreign exchange reserves will increase by 6% in one fell swoop.
The gold and jewels in the temple's secret treasury are valued at $22 billion.
It is not Indian archaeologists who need to be thanked for the find - they have nothing to do with what happened. The “Indiana Jones” in this case was local lawyer Sundar Rajan, who complained to the Kerala authorities that the sacred temple, which was under the jurisdiction of the Travancore family - heirs of the ancient Indian royal family - was not well guarded.
The state authorities duly responded to the complaint and decided to transfer the temple to the state balance. During the process of paperwork, treasures were opened in the basement. It was there that untold riches were discovered in the form of many tons of gold and precious stones, 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.
Scientists were able to explain the origin of countless riches very simply. “This area was a lucrative trade route,” explains Professor PJ Cherian, director of the Kerala Board of History.
Now officials are proposing to take these treasures for the benefit of the state treasury.
According to him, the Vishnu temple, located in such a place, simply could not help but receive rich donations: they were made not only to the deity, but also to the rulers of the principality on whose territory the temple stood.
Now officials are proposing to take these treasures for the benefit of the state treasury. True, not everyone agrees with this - the heirs of the Travancore family, who managed the temple for many years, not knowing about the hidden treasure, claim that the wealth rightfully belongs to them.
In turn, the famous lawyer Krishna Iyer proposes to sell the treasures and distribute the proceeds to the poor, of whom there are more than enough in the state of Kerala, as well as throughout India. “Gold has weight when it is put into circulation,” says the former judge. “It has no value if it’s hidden in dark closets.”
Everyday life of gold miners
Finding a treasure is often just the beginning of a long and tedious journey to owning it. Different states have different laws, and litigation sometimes drags on for years.
Thus, a British ship from the Second World War, loaded with Soviet gold, discovered in 2009 off the coast of the United States, led to a lengthy trial. “It is unlikely that Sub Sea Research [which found the ship] will be able to keep the gold,” comments British lawyer Michael Williams.
Finding a treasure is often just the beginning of a long and tedious journey to owning it. Different states have different laws, and litigation sometimes drags on for years.
At the same time, searching for treasures is quite a troublesome and expensive task. As the case with the ship of the legendary pirate Morgan shows, sometimes in order to find treasures, it is necessary to find a rich sponsor and purchase expensive equipment.
Considered to be the largest treasure in history until the recent Indian find, it was discovered in Chile in 2005, also using latest technologies. Archaeologists have been hunting for this treasure for a long time.
For almost three centuries, scientists have known that in 1715, the Spanish navigator Juan Ubilla 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.
600 barrels with more than 800 tons of gold were found by specialists from the Chilean company Wagner, who used their own engineering development - a robot capable of scanning the molecular composition of the soil at a depth of up to 50 m.
However, the discovery was made only in 2005. 600 barrels with more than 800 tons of gold were found by specialists from the Chilean company Wagner, who used their own engineering development - a robot capable of scanning the molecular composition of the soil at a depth of up to 50 m.
The company had difficulty defending its right to 50% of the value of the treasure from the Chilean government (the treasure was valued at $10 billion).
In 2007, Greg Stemm, owner of Odyssey Marine Exploration, discovered the legendary British ship Merchant Royal with 500 thousand silver coins on board with a total value of $500 million.
“This was an unprecedented find,” comments Nick Brier, an American expert on ancient coins. “I've never seen anything like it.”
Stemm spent enormous amounts of money searching for the ship, and then spent several years suing the British authorities for the right to receive his share of the profits. According to some experts, his profits from the event could end up being meager because the overall costs were too high.
Stemm spent enormous amounts of money searching for the ship, and then spent several years suing the British authorities for the right to receive his share of the profits.
“For two years, Stemm's ship combed the area in which the ship was supposedly sunk,” explains Richard Larne, a British wreck expert. - This is approximately $50 thousand per day. Huge money!”
In addition, Stemm spent his own money to build the Odyssey ship, a true masterpiece of engineering. Odyssey is equipped with a dynamic positioning system, multi-beam sonar and a seven-ton Zeus submersible.
It was with the help of this jeep-sized apparatus that archaeologists were able to reach the ship and lift up one of the largest treasures of recent times. In total, 80 people participated in the operation over two years.
There are still a lot of famous and never found treasures in the world that have not only banal material, but also enormous historical value.
“The recent findings are like needles in a haystack,” comments Fishburne. There are still a lot of famous and never found treasures in the world that have not only banal material, but also enormous historical value, he says. In particular, we are talking about the legendary treasures of the Templars, Viking treasures, the tomb of Genghis Khan, etc.
“And there are enough treasure ships in the world for a couple dozen more enthusiasts like Stemm,” Fishburne sneers, citing data that in the entire history of mankind at least 3-5 thousand ships with valuable cargo have sunk.
The largest treasures in human history
The total cost of treasures found over the last century could amount to the budget of the third world war. But this is only a small fraction of all the lost wealth. Scientists estimate that the total amount of jewelry lost throughout human history could be about $1 trillion.
2011, Kerala, India
The largest treasure in history was found in the Indian temple of Thiruvananthapuram. Tons of gold and a 1.2-meter statue of Vishnu, decorated with diamonds, were recovered from the ground. The total value of the treasures is, according to experts, $22 billion
2010, Wilshire, England
Chef Dave Crisp accidentally discovered a container of... antique coins. Roman treasure valued at £3.3m
2005, Juan Fernandez Archipelago, Chile
The treasures of the Spanish navigator Juan Esteban Ubilla, hidden by him in 1715, have been found. The treasure consisted of 600 barrels of gold with a total value of $10 billion. The discovery was made by a Chilean engineering company using the latest robot capable of analyzing soil at the molecular level
1998, Gibraltar
The American company Odyssey Marine Exploration has discovered the remains of the British battleship Sussex, which sank in 1694. There were 10 tons of gold on board
1985, Sroda Slaska, Poland
During the demolition of the old building, the largest treasure in history of gold coins (3 thousand pieces) was discovered with a gold crown that belonged to the wife of Emperor Charles IV
1985, Florida, USA
Maritime archaeologist Mel Fisher discovered the Spanish galleon Atoch, carrying jewelry that experts valued at $400 million
1978, Royal tombs dating from the era of Christ have been found in Afghanistan. They contained more than 20 thousand items made of gold and precious stones
1949, Panagyurishte, Bulgaria
During excavation work, a huge treasure trove of gold items produced in Asia Minor in the 3rd century BC was accidentally discovered. e. The total weight of the products was more than 10 kg
1922, Valley of the Kings, Egypt
English archaeologist Howard Carter discovered the tomb of Pharaoh Tutankhamun. The total weight of gold and jewelry recovered from the tomb was 1.2 tons
TOP 10 treasures that every archaeologist dreams of finding
If Steven Spielberg decided to make a series about Indiana Jones, then any of the points in this rating could receive a separate episode
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 contains, but also because the Ark's existence will mean that many of the events described in the Bible are true.
2. Treasures of the Templars
The knightly order, which at first was the right hand of the church, and then was declared its 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 powerful person on the planet. He had at his disposal 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
An 18th-century masterpiece of art that was lost during World War II has never 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
This material was published in No. 33 of the Korrespondent magazine dated August 26, 2011. Reproduction of Korrespondent magazine publications in full is prohibited. The rules for using materials from the Korrespondent magazine published on the Korrespondent.net website can be found .
In the dungeons of the Sri Padmanabhaswamy Temple (Thiruvananthapuram, Kerala, India), which is a shrine to the former rulers of the principality of Travancore, researchers discovered untold riches that amazed not only India, but the whole world.
History has long kept legends about the countless treasures of the ancient rulers of India - that they possessed a huge amount of gold coins and precious stones. As is often confirmed in practice, legends and tales are not always based on fictitious facts, as researchers who recovered hundreds of kilograms of gold coins and items made of precious alloys and bags of precious stones from storage facilities were convinced of.
According to official sources, five secret vaults have been opened in the Sri Padmanabhaswamy Temple, the construction of which was dedicated to the god Vishnu. According to preliminary estimates by experts, their value could be twenty billion dollars, which gives every reason to consider this treasure the largest to date.
By order of the Indian government, work continues in two more secret chambers of the same temple. Researchers do not lose hope of discovering new hiding places using metal detectors.
The largest treasure in history consists of gold coins and bars, the total weight of which is about two tons, several bags of diamonds and a diamond necklace five and a half meters long. And scientists consider the biggest find to be the statue of the god Vishu, which is made of pure gold and has a height of 1.2 meters.
The construction of the temple dates back to the 16th century, but its prosperity began much later - from the 17th to the 19th centuries. During this time, the priests of the temple collected merchant donations and offerings, which filled the vaults.
Not the cheapest treasure in the world was found by the American company Odyssey near Portugal. The treasure was discovered on the sunken Spanish naval frigate Nuestra Señora de las Mercedes in 2007. 500 thousand gold and silver coins, jewelry and decorations were lifted to the surface from the frigate. The total value of this treasure was about $500 million.
The right to this treasure was put forward in court by the Spanish government, as they want to protect the historical value from the hands of robbers and treasure hunters. Representatives of the American company Odyssey defended their right to the treasure, since it was found on neutral territory, but the Florida court, represented by Judge Mark Pizzo, remained on the side of Spain and decided to transfer everything found to the Spanish government.
The frigate Nuestra Señora de las Mercedes was transporting minted coins from the Spanish colony to Peru in 1804, but was sunk by the British near Cape St. Mary. Approximately 200 sailors died from the frigate explosion.
The American company Odyssey claims that the treasure was recovered as part of the Black Swan special operation, but as it later turned out, the Spanish authorities were not notified of such operations. Odyssey's actions were called immoral and legally unacceptable.
At the moment, the treasures are under the protection of a US federal court. One thing that remains unclear is when Spain will be able to rightfully receive the treasure that belongs to them. The Odyssey company plans to file an appeal and challenge the court's decision, as it believes that the representatives of Spain have not proven their full right to ownership of this treasure.