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There are many famous and legendary treasures, the search for which has been going on for several centuries. In today's review - the legendary treasures in Russia, which no one has yet found.
In unstable times, whether it was a revolution, wars or dispossession, some secret dungeon or land was considered the most reliable place to store valuables. The acquired good was transferred to chests, barrels, and they buried their treasures somewhere in a deep forest in a secret place.
This method of storing more or less large amounts of money was considered in the order of things until the middle of the last century. However, it was far from always possible to return for riches, often no one except the one who hid the treasure knew exactly where it was buried, and the treasures remained lying and waiting in the wings. A considerable number of such forgotten coin caches on the territory of Russia are scattered from the Far East to Siberia.
Treasure of Khan Yediger Magmet
Where to look: Kazan, Lake Kaban
Back in 1552, Ivan the Terrible decided to take Kazan. At the beginning, the Tatar wars tried to attack the troops besieging the fortress of the Kazan Khanate, but after some time they realized that they could not resist the troops of Grozny. Then Chapkun Otuchev, who was in charge of the khan's treasury, decided to hide all the khan's valuables in a safe place. Lake Kaban seemed to be the most suitable for him: the jewels were rolled into barrels, taken out of the fortress at night and thrown into the lake. During the assault on the city, everyone who knew about the exact location of the treasures died. And untold riches still lie at the bottom, under a layer of multi-meter silt that has grown over hundreds of years.
Napoleon's treasure
Where to look: Zhernovka village, lakes Kasplya, Svaditskoye, Velisto; lake Mutnoe in the Demidovsky district of the Smolensk region, Semlevsky lake.
Leaving Moscow, Napoleon took with him several convoys with gold, valuables and a collection of ancient weapons. According to various archival data, in total he took out about 18 poods of gold, 325 poods of silver and countless other valuables. However, he never brought the trophies to the appointed place. The periodic attacks of the Russian troops and the approaching cold forced the French to start throwing off the loot in order to increase the speed of the army. Along the way, valuables were buried in the ground and flooded in nearby lakes. Historians suggest that Napoleon continued to drag carts at least as far as the Berezina River. The first such treasure was found near the Nara River.
Kolchak's gold
Where to look: the village of Taiga, Lake Baikal, the Tura River in the Tyumen Region.
At the beginning of the First World War, Russia's gold reserves were redirected to Kazan. The head of the White movement, Admiral Kolchak, in turn, took him out of Kazan and transported him by train to Siberia. On the way, the train was attacked, during which the attackers each time stole some part of the treasure. Part of the same, according to eyewitnesses, Kolchak hid. The Bolsheviks got only half of the exported stock. Gold bars with a total weight of approximately 200 tons lie somewhere in chests hidden in Siberia.
Treasure of Sigismund III
Where to look: Moscow region, Mozhaisk, Aprelevka.
The Polish troops that invaded Russia in 1604 stuffed their chests with anything of any value. As a result, 923 freight wagons were collected for good, which were sent along the Mozhaisk road to Poland. But all the treasures disappeared almost without a trace, not even reaching Smolensk. According to one version, this happened because the sender of the valuables himself had views of them and planned to stay in Russia. The records mention that they were buried not far from a graveyard. But what exactly it was and where it was, it was not possible to establish, therefore the geography of the location of the treasure is rather blurred, which dragged out the search for many, many years.
Treasure of Emelyan Pugachev
Where to look: along the route of the troops - Orenburg, Berda, Yaitsky town, Samara, Kazan, Simbirsk, Ufa, Magnitnaya fortress, Iletsk defense, Beloretsk plants, Zlatoust, Orsk, Osa, Izhevsk plant, Botkinsky plant, Tsivilsk, Kurmysh, Saransk, Penza.
During the uprising, Emelyan Pugachev's "treasury" was regularly replenished with the values of estates and property of local landowners. Prioritizing the mobility of the rebel troops, Pugachev periodically hid wealth along the way. According to rumors, he did it in a conspicuous place, so that later it would be easier to find. Some of these caches were discovered in the vicinity of Orenburg. But the main treasures continue to excite the imagination of treasure hunters, hiding somewhere under a layer of earth or water.
Treasure from the ship "Varyagin"
Where to look: in the Ussuriysky Bay, between the alignment of the Three Stones, Mount Vargli and Sukhodol Bay.
In 1906, the Varyagin cargo-passenger ship, en route from Vladivostok to Sukhodol Bay, collided with a mine left after the Russo-Japanese War and sank. On board were 250 passengers and 60 thousand rubles in gold, along with "especially valuable cargo." Only 15 managed to escape, including the captain. In 1913, he made an attempt to find and raise the ship. The ship was found, but the ship-lifting operation turned out to be too expensive, so only part of the valuable cargo was pulled to the surface. The gold remained lying in the holds of the ship at the bottom of the bay.
Treasure of Hetman Mazepa
Where to look: Baturin, the place where Mazepa crossed the Dnieper, Mazepa's castle - Goncharovka, the country palace - on the Porosyuchka farm.
In October 1708, Mazepa was supposed to meet with Charles XII, having crossed the Desna. In order to go light, before leaving Baturin, he partially buried his innumerable treasures. He tried to smuggle other parts in the convoy, which followed along with the troops to Karl, and also to hide in other places known to him alone. One of these attempts, when crossing to the other side of the Dnieper, ended with the fact that some boats with valuable cargo simply sank.
Treasure of Count Rostopchin
Where to look: the Voronovo sanatorium at the 61st kilometer of the Starokaluga Highway, 37 kilometers from the Moscow Ring Road.
During the war of 1812, the Voronovo estate, located 37 km from Moscow, became the residence of the Governor-General of Moscow, Count Rostopchin. He brought works of art and various valuables into it, turning the estate into a kind of miniature Versailles. After the arrival of Napoleon's troops in Moscow, he set fire to his estate, staging everything in such a way that supposedly all the wealth he had accumulated was destroyed. In fact, there were underground passages on the territory of the estate, through which, presumably, all the good was taken out and hidden in the district.
Treasure of the Smolensk Bank
Where to look: the village of Otnosovo in the Smolensk region.
Before the invasion of German troops in Smolensk, it was decided to remove all funds and valuables from bank vaults. Wealth was sent to Vyazma on eight trucks, but the convoy came under fire and reached the nearest locality only 5 cars arrived. Exist different versions how they developed further developments, but the most popular assumption remains that gold and silver were buried. This theory is supported by the facts of finding individual coins of the 1924 issue near the village of Otnosovo. And the whole treasure lies somewhere in a secluded place.
Treasure of Ataman Semenov
Where to look: near the Russian-Chinese border, Dauria region.
Preparing an escape from Chita, Ataman Semyonov decided to take out the stock Russian Empire, which was brought by Kappel's army, and hide it in the Daurian steppe. The valuable cargo was delivered to the Dauria station and safely buried, but during the return of the Cossacks to the armored train they were attacked and all those who were initiated into the secret of the location of the treasure died. According to the assumptions of counterintelligence officers, the size of the territory on which the treasure may be located is 150 square kilometers. The treasure itself is estimated at about $500 million.
In February 1941, a military transport ship sank off the coast of Galway, Ireland. Of the 85 crew members, only one managed to escape. Recently, the American expedition Odyssey Marine Exploration managed to recover 48 tons of silver from the day of the sunken ship.
The silver discovered off the coast of Ireland is far from a record compared to all the gold, diamonds and other treasures found in recent years.
1. "Naryshkin Silver" in St. Petersburg, 2012.
During the restoration work of the old mansion of the Trubetskoy-Naryshkins in March of this year, a walled-up room full of silver utensils was found. Most of the devices were marked with the Naryshkin family coat of arms. Dishes have been stored here since 1917. Wrapped in newspapers and linen soaked in vinegar, it has survived to this day in perfect condition.
2. $22 billion in an Indian temple, 2011.
Perhaps one of the largest treasures in the history of mankind was found last year in the Indian temple of Padmanabhaswami. Treasures hidden in the lower tiers of the building, according to experts, account for 6 percent of India's gold and foreign exchange fund. The treasure represents donations to the temple, which have been collected since the 14th century, and in the 18th century the cache with the accumulated was walled up.
3. One and a half centners of Roman coins, 2010.
In 2010, a hoard of coins from the Roman Empire was discovered in the UK. The weight of the found was more than 160 kg. The treasure was found by amateur treasure hunters under a 30-centimeter layer of earth. bronze coins kept in an earthen jar. According to experts, the coins were intended as a sacrifice to the gods.
4. Gold and jewels in Staffordshire, 2009
The Anglo-Saxon era hoard was found in 2009 in Staffordshire by amateur archaeologist Terry Herbert. There were five kilograms of gold, three kilograms of silver, as well as precious stones. Over 1500 various items, including brooches, armor, dishes and religious utensils, were found by Terry with a metal detector on a friend's farm.
5. Treasure hidden from Caesar, 2012.
On the island of Jersey in the English Channel, amateur archaeologists found a cache, the weight of which was more than 700 kilograms. According to experts, I have been laying for more than 2 thousand years. Probably, the tribes of the Celts hid it, fleeing from the army of Caesar. According to various estimates, the value of the treasure ranges from $5 million to $17 million.
6. Millions from the German Library, 2011
In one of the cities of Lower Bavaria, unique coins were found among the books in the state library. The value of coins reaches several million euros. The treasure in the form of Greek, Roman, Byzantine coins, as well as French coins from the era of Napoleon Bonaparte was discovered by a cleaner. It is assumed that the collection was hidden in 1803 from the authorities, who took the coins and books stored in the monasteries for the needs of the state.
7. Gold from the cruiser "Edinburgh", 1981.
In 1942, the English cruiser Edinburgh was damaged by German warships, as a result of which it was scuttled by order of the captain. On board the sunken ship was 5.5 tons of gold. In 1981, the largest underwater operation to lift gold from the Edinburgh was carried out in the Barents Sea. Most of the ingots were brought to the surface, but a few ingots still could not be found.
8. 17 tons of silver at a depth of 2.5 km, 2011.
In 1917, the British ship Mantola was wrecked by the German submarine U-81. Last year, 17 tons of silver were recovered from the bottom of the sunken ship, the cost of which is estimated at $19 million.
9. Treasures of the galleon "Atocha", 1985.
It took 15 years to find the famous treasures of the Spanish galleon Atocha. As a result of a severe storm in 1622, the ship sank off the coast of Florida. The price of gold and silver bars raised from the bottom, as well as jewelry, is more than 400 million dollars.
10. 48 tons of silver off the coast of Ireland, July 2012.
Just recently, 48 tons of silver were raised from the bottom of the Atlantic Ocean - this is one of the largest treasures ever discovered in sea waters. The treasure, estimated at 38 million dollars, was found on board the ship "Gersoppa" near Ireland.
11. Gold, platinum and diamonds on the "ship without a name", 2009.
Three years ago, the remains of a British ship sunk by the Nazis during World War II were discovered off the northeast coast of South America. The ship was wrecked in 1942. On board was found a large cargo of gold, platinum and diamonds, transported to replenish the US treasury.
12. Half a million gold and silver coins, 2007.
In 2007, the Odyssey Marine Exploration expedition reported the discovery of a sunken ship with 500,000 gold and silver coins on board. The found treasures were transported to the USA, and the name of the sunken ship and the place where it was found are kept secret.
13. Coins and magic stone in the Caribbean, 2011.
In 2011, in the Caribbean Sea, the American organization of treasure hunters Deep Blue Marine found 700 old coins which cost several million dollars. In the 16th century, a shipwreck occurred on this site.
14. Soviet platinum on a British ship, 2012.
In February 2012, the American treasure hunter Greg Brooks found the sunken British ship Port Nicholson, which sank in 1942 without bringing platinum bars from the USSR to New York. This cargo was a payment by the Soviet Union to the US government for the supply of ammunition and military equipment.
The American Odyssey Marine Exploration recently reported that the expedition was able to recover almost 48 tons of silver from a military transport ship that sank in 1941 300 nautical miles off Galway, Ireland. The ship sank in February 1941, out of 85 crew members, only one managed to escape. Since then, it has been lying at a depth of 4.7 km.
Among the gold, diamonds and other treasures that treasure hunters have found in recent years, 48 tons of silver raised from the bottom of the sea off the coast of Ireland is far from a record.
"Naryshkin Silver" in St. Petersburg, 2012
In March of this year in St. Petersburg, during the restoration of the old Trubetskoy-Naryshkin mansion, workers stumbled upon a walled-up room filled with silver utensils. Most of the devices had the Naryshkin family coat of arms, and the items themselves were in perfect condition - since 1917 they had been waiting in the wings, carefully wrapped in newspapers and linen cloth soaked in vinegar, which did not allow the silver to oxidize.
$22 billion in Indian temple, 2011
Last year, one of the largest treasures in the history of mankind was discovered in an Indian temple. According to experts, the treasures immured in the lower tiers of the Padmanabhaswamy temple make up 6% of the entire gold and foreign exchange fund of India, that is, about $22 billion.
The keepers of the temple, built in the Indian state of Kerala, began to fill six underground vaults with donations from the 14th century, and in the 18th century it was decided to carefully wall up the caches.
One and a half centner of Roman coins, 2010
Two years ago, a large hoard of coins of the Roman Empire weighing more than 160 kg was found in the UK. The bronze coins were stored in an earthenware jar, which was only under a 30-centimeter layer of earth and was discovered by an amateur treasure hunter. According to experts, the jug with coins was intended as a sacrifice to the gods.
Gold and jewels in Staffordshire, 2009
In 2009, in Staffordshire, amateur archaeologist Terry Herbert unearthed a treasure dating back to the Anglo-Saxon era. In total, it consisted of five kilograms of gold, about three kilograms of silver and precious stones.
Among the items found were golden brooches, armor and swords, crockery and religious utensils. The treasure hunter stumbled upon the treasure while using a metal detector to explore the territory of his friend's farm. Under the ground were more than 1,500 different items that could belong to representatives of the Anglo-Saxon elite.
Treasure hidden from Caesar, 2012
One of the largest hoards in history was found this year on the island of Jersey in the English Channel. Amateur archaeologists have discovered a cache, the total weight of the valuables in which was more than 700 kg. According to scientists, the treasure is more than 2000 years old and it could have been hidden by the Celtic tribes fleeing from the troops of Julius Caesar.
Over 2,000 years, the metal products were so tightly packed that they turned into one huge ingot, the cost of which, according to various estimates, ranges from $5 million to $17 million.
Millions from the German Library, 2011
A collection of unique coins, the total value of which can reach several million euros, was found among the books of the state library in one of the towns of Lower Bavaria. The cleaning lady found a box containing a collection of Greek, Roman, Byzantine coins, as well as French coins from the era of Napoleon Bonaparte.
According to one version, the collection was hidden in 1803 from the authorities, who confiscated coins and books stored in monasteries in favor of the state.
Gold from the cruiser Edinburgh, 1981
In 1981, the largest deep-sea gold recovery operation was carried out in the Barents Sea from the sunken English cruiser Edinburgh. At the end of April 1942, the cruiser left Murmansk for England with 5.5 tons of gold on board, but, having received damage from German warships, was scuttled by order of the captain. Only in 1980, British experts determined the exact location of the ship, and in September 1981, most of the gold bars were raised to the surface. Several ingots could not be found.
17 tons of silver at a depth of 2.5 km, 2011
About 17 tons of silver was found on board a British ship that sank in the Atlantic Ocean. The Mantola was wrecked in 1917 by the German submarine U-81. According to experts, the value of the treasure exceeds $19 million.
Treasures of the galleon "Atocha", 1985
In 1985, after 15 years of searching, the legendary treasures of the Spanish galleon "Atocha" were found, which was wrecked in 1622 due to a storm off the coast of Florida.
The wealth raised was estimated at more than $400 million, including 200 gold and about a thousand silver bars, jewelry, gold chains and a whole arsenal of weapons of the 17th century.
Pirate treasure on a Florida beach, 1984
The treasure was found by one of the most famous treasure hunters, Barry Clifford, just a few hundred meters from Cape Cod Beach on the coast of Florida. He discovered the wreck of the pirate galley "Waida", from which he lifted about five tons of various valuables.
The total price found exceeded $ 15 million: before breaking on the coastal reefs, the pirates robbed more than fifty ships.
48 tons of silver off the coast of Ireland, July 2012
Recently, about 48 tons of silver were lifted from the bottom of the Atlantic Ocean - this is the largest cargo precious metal ever discovered in the depths of the sea. Treasure worth approximately $38 million was found aboard the ship "Gersoppa" off the coast of Ireland. This military transport ship sank in 1941 after being attacked by German submarines.
Gold, platinum and diamonds on the ship without a name, 2009
The remains of a British freighter sunk by the Nazis during World War II have been discovered off the northeast coast of South America. The value of the find was that the ship was carrying a large cargo of gold, platinum and diamonds, intended to replenish the US treasury.
The name of the ship was not disclosed, but it was conventionally called the Blue Baron. The ship was wrecked in June 1942.
Half a million gold and silver coins, 2007
In May 2007, the Odyssey Marine Exploration Company, which specializes in finding marine treasures, announced the discovery of a sunken ship with 500,000 gold and silver coins on board. The treasure was raised and shipped to the US, but the company never said who owned the sunken ship or where exactly it was found.
Coins and magic stone in the Caribbean, 2011
Last year, in the Caribbean off the coast of the Dominican Republic, the American organization of treasure hunters Deep Blue Marine discovered treasures. In the 16th century, a shipwreck occurred on this site. Divers found 700 ancient coins worth millions of dollars, ancient figurines and an unusual mirror stone that could be used in shamanistic rituals.
Soviet platinum on a British ship, 2012
In February 2012, the famous US treasure hunter Greg Brooks discovered the sunken British ship Port Nicholson, which in 1942 did not bring platinum bars from the USSR to New York. The ship was sunk by a German submarine. Its cargo was intended for the calculation of the Soviet Union with the US government for the supply of ammunition, military equipment and food by the allies.
Adventure seekers have long been attracted by treasures, a great number of which are hidden in the bowels of the seas, deserts and in ancient caches. This is not only an adventurous adventure, but also interesting finds that lift the curtains in history, and romance from the past that declares itself. The most amazing thing is that not only archaeologists and divers, junk dealers or treasure hunters can find something of value. Sometimes the chance comes and ordinary people. The main thing is that the found wealth should not be underestimated! Here are 11 of the most valuable and interesting treasures found in the last decade!
1. "Naryshkin Treasure" in St. Petersburg, 2012
In March 2012, in St. Petersburg, during the restoration of the old Trubetskoy-Naryshkin mansion at 29 Tchaikovsky Street, workers found a walled-up room filled with dishes. Most of the instruments bore the Naryshkin family coat of arms. The collection was supplemented 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 Faberge hallmark, and the Order of the Russian Empire - a total of 2168 items. All items were carefully wrapped in vinegar-soaked cloth and 1917 newspapers. Apparently, the owners expected to return.
2. Donations at an Indian temple, 2011
This is one of the largest treasures in modern history. Treasures hidden in the lower tiers of the Sri Padmanabhaswamy Temple have been valued at $22 billion. This is 6% of the total gold and foreign exchange fund of India. The keepers of the temple began to fill the six underground vaults with donations from the 14th century.
3. One and a half centners of Roman coins, 2010, Great Britain
Bronze coins were stored in a clay jar, which was only under a 30-centimeter layer of earth. The treasure was found by an amateur archaeologist. The total value of the coins was not disclosed.
4. Gold and jewels in Staffordshire, 2009
The treasure, discovered by the Englishman Terry Herbert, consisted of five kilograms of gold, three kilograms of silver and precious stones. The treasure hunter stumbled upon the treasure while using a metal detector to explore the territory of his friend's farm.
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 cleaner. Perhaps the collection was hidden in 1803 from the authorities, who confiscated the coins and books stored in the monasteries in favor of the state. The value 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 was found aboard the British steamer Mantola, which sank in the 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 raise 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 wreck with 500,000 gold and silver coins on board. The treasure was raised and shipped to the US, 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 second mate Richard Ayers managed to escape. About 48 tons of silver were lifted from the ship - 1203 ingots.
9. 700 gold coins, 2011, Caribbean Sea
Off the coast of the Dominican Republic, Deep Blue Marine divers recovered 700 coins dated 1535 and gold jewelry from a sunken ship. The value 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 incredible treasures in a British merchant ship lying at the bottom of 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 revealing 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. “Our equipment is not enough to handle two to five knots of current, near-zero visibility and difficult open ocean conditions,” Brooks said, complaining that he did not have $2.5 million for suitable underwater equipment. So far, no one has succeeded in raising treasures from the bottom of the ocean.
11. A 500-year-old ship with $13 million worth of gold was found in the desert, 2016
Namibian diamond miners have stumbled upon the wreckage 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. In the hold were found gold and silver coins, 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. From time to time ships are found in these places, but the Portuguese cargo ship is the oldest of all found and the only one whose cargo is of such value.
Items found on the ship, with a spade for scale: an astrolabe (center), a frying pan and some pottery. Things are well preserved. Prayer beads and a 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.
