In AD 793, a disaster came to the isle of Lindisfarne from across the sea. One account describes how “heathens desecrated God’s sanctuaries, and poured the blood of saints within the compass of the altar, destroyed the house of our hope, trampled the bodies of saints in God’s temple like animal dung in the street.” The Vikings had come. These raiders plundered valuables wherever they found them. But conversely, their treasure hunting has left us valuable clues to the past.
Here are ten Viking-era hoards that have revealed much about life at the time.
Related: 10 Amazing Viking Inventions And Innovations
10 Galloway Hoard
The Galloway Hoard, discovered in Scotland in 2014, is one of the richest hoards from the Viking era that has ever been unearthed. After metal detectorist Derek McLennan uncovered a silver armband, archaeologists were called in, and they excavated a trove of over 100 objects. Alongside large amounts of silver bullion were decorated gold pieces, broaches of a type that had never been seen before, decorative glass beads, a vessel carved from rock crystal, and a bird-shaped pin.
As well as the obviously valuable pieces, there was evidence of how they were stored. Scraps of wool and silk had been used to wrap the objects. These were treasured objects, so how did they end up in the ground? Because the objects are a mix of typically “Viking” and Anglo-Saxon artifacts, it is not clear who buried them. Were they booty from a successful raid? Was it a British person burying their wealth to keep it from being stolen?
One of the silver pieces was a broken-up armband. Most silver armbands are thought to be Norse in origin, but this one is marked in British runes with the Old English name Egbert.[1]
9 Vale of York Hoard
When two metal detectorists uncovered the remains of a lead chest in 2007, they had no idea what they were about to stumble on. As they dug a hole, something fell out of the side of the excavation. Seeing glints of silver, they did not pour out the treasure immediately but instead reported it to archaeologists. When the object was cleaned, it was revealed to be a silver vessel lined with gold crammed full of more silver objects.
In total, nearly 700 coins and other pieces of silver were recovered. The vessel they were held in was a richly decorated cup that closely resembled one already in the British Museum. Both were probably made in the same Carolingian workshop in the 10th century. Many of the coins inside were new types that had not been seen before.
What is most interesting about the hoard is what it reveals about how objects traveled during this period. Objects from North Africa, Afghanistan, Russia, Scandinavia, and Ireland were all found in a vessel from France, demonstrating how vast the Norse trade network was.[2]
8 Hoen Hoard
The Hoen Hoard is the largest collection of Viking-era gold ever discovered. Found in 1875 when a trench was being dug on a farm in Norway, it contains 207 objects. These included finger rings, neck rings, arm rings, a necklace of glass beads, and coins that have been modified so they can be hung around the neck.
Interestingly, the objects found span 500 years of history. The oldest coin was a Roman one issued around AD 360, while the last was minted at the end of the 9th century. Objects of value could be treasured for generations, it seems. Many of the objects seem to have come from France.
The purpose of burying this hoard is not known, but one theory suggests it represents the wealth of a woman who had invested in a Viking raid. The objects in this hoard, including the female jewelry, may have been her cut of the wealth brought back by the raiders.[3]
7 Herefordshire Hoard
The fate of the Herefordshire hoard is a prime example of why important archaeological finds should be reported to responsible authorities. When metal detectorists found this hoard in 2015, they took it and began selling the objects to dealers. Instead of a complete collection of unique finds, experts have only a few items that have been recovered.
The objects that have been returned are stunning. They include 30 silver coins, a golden pendant holding a sphere of rock crystal, and a silver ingot. One of the coins was an incredibly rare one dating from the reign of Alfred the Great. Other objects could have revealed more about the political and artistic state at the time.
Police investigated after rumors of a large hoard being uncovered and rare and valuable coins began to emerge with dealers. They found photos by the detectorists, which suggest the original hoard contained at least 300 coins. When complete, it was probably valued at £12 million. The detectorists would have been able to claim half of this amount if they had declared the find but instead tried to sell it to keep it all. In 2019, they were jailed for several years each.[4]
6 Cuerdale Hoard
The Cuerdale Hoard is the largest Viking-era hoard ever discovered in Britain. It contains over 8,600 objects and was probably buried in the early 10th century. It was discovered in 1840 by workers who were reinforcing the banks of a river in Lancashire. The owners of the land acted quickly to ensure all the items were kept together—though the workers were allowed to keep one coin each for their discovery.
The hoard was found within a large lead chest. Among the objects were bone pins. It seems as if the objects had been placed in the chest inside small bundles of textiles that were held in place by the pins. The majority of the coins were freshly minted by the Norse. A few, however, were silver coins from the Islamic world. The location of the hoard—on a main route from Norse York to the sea—suggests that the hoard was bound for export.
That the silver was parcelled out makes some researchers think that it may have been prepared as payment when it arrived at its destination, with each person receiving their share.[5]
5 Bedale Hoard
Unlike the Herefordshire Hoard, the discoverers of the Bedale Hoard did everything right. When the metal detectorists came across silver objects while exploring a Yorkshire field, they contacted the Finds Liaison Officer, who deals with artifacts. By leaving many of the objects in the ground, they preserved the context of the hoard, which can tell archaeologists so much about the past.
The Bedale Hoard was composed of silver ingots, silver neck rings, and a sword. The ingots were found in a small area, suggesting they had once been held in a box, which had rotted away long ago. Most interesting was the pommel of the sword, which was decorated with small plaques of decorated gold.
The lack of coins in this hoard is not uncommon in Viking-era hoards. Often silver objects that have been hacked apart are found. The use of this silver bullion was common at the time and formed a large part of the Viking economy.[6]
4 Arlanda Airport Hoard
One of the largest Viking-era hoards found in Sweden helped to piece together the trade networks which crossed the world at the time. While excavating a burial mound near Arlanda Airport in Stockholm, archaeologists uncovered first one coin, then another, then 470 in total. These coins were not produced locally, however—most came from Damascus and Baghdad.
The coins date from the middle of the 9th century, which was around the beginning of the Norse importing of coins. Most experts agree that they were the product of trade by the Vikings rather than captured during raids. Some of the coins were Persian and centuries old by the time they were buried.
The burial mound where the hoard was discovered was 1,000 years older than the hoard itself. It was probably buried there as the mound was a handy marker on the landscape, and the buriers thought they would be able to locate it again. They were wrong.[7]
3 Watlington Hoard
The Watlington Hoard is not particularly large by the standards of other hoards on this list. It is important, though, because it marks an important moment in the relations between quarreling kingdoms in Britain. The Viking raiders invaded and took northern England in the 860s while Alfred the Great ruled in the south in Wessex.
The Watlington Hoard contains 13 examples of a British coin that shows Alfred alongside Ceowulf II, the ruler of Mercia. The minting of these coins was supposed to show the level of cooperation between these rulers in the face of Viking opposition. This is important as Ceowulf had long been thought of as a puppet of the Vikings. Now we know he was likely working with Alfred.[8]
2 Viggbyholm Hoard
The Viking-era hoard excavated in Viggbyholm, Sweden, contained many of the objects that you might expect from such a trove of treasures. There were twisted silver neck collars, arm rings, pearls, and silver coins made into pendants. But among the objects that had once been deposited beneath the wooden floor of a building, there was one coin that sparked the most interest.
The Normans were strongly linked to the Vikings. The name itself is derived from them being “North Men.” Yet there is surprisingly little evidence of trade between the Normans and the Norse. This coin, however, was Norman and of a type not seen since the 18th century. Because that original coin had been lost, there were some who doubted its existence—at least until one appeared here.
The rarity of Norman coins in Viking hoards is explained by the fact that they were only interested in high-quality silver. The Normans mixed copper with their silver to mint coins. The Vikings only wanted the best.[9]
1 Spillings Hoard
The largest Viking hoard ever discovered was found in 1999 on a farm near Spillings in Sweden. The field was being scanned with metal detectors as part of a TV news segment on how pillaging from archaeological sites could destroy important information on history. Once the cameras stopped rolling, the detectorists decided to carry on. Within minutes, they stumbled on a hoard of silver so large that it overloaded their detectors.
In all, three caches of silver and bronze were discovered at the site. Unfortunately, when one was taken out of the ground still intact to be x-rayed, it proved impossible. There was so much silver in the cache that the x-rays could not penetrate it. The horde contained 486 silver bangles and 14,295 coins. Most of the coins were from the Islamic world and dated from AD 539-870. Well over 100 pounds (45 kilograms) of silver were recovered.
Several of the coins were discovered to be contemporary forgeries. All the coins were high-quality silver but had been minted to give them the impression they came from elsewhere. But as long as the silver was right, it does not seem the Vikings cared too much.[10]
]]>If video games and movies like Indiana Jones are to be believed, the world is teeming with hidden treasures and caches of valuable items just waiting to be found. While that’s obviously not true, many fabled items and artifacts from history still remain missing. Many of them were looted or stolen by petty soldiers during the many wars of history, while others just disappeared among long lineages of royalty no one bothered to keep a check on.
10. Sarcophagus Of Menkaure
Some time in October 1838, the English schooner Beatrice set sail from Alexandria, Egypt, carrying the sarcophagus of the builder of the third pyramid of Giza – Pharaoh Menkaure. The ship disappeared during a storm, however, leaving behind one of the most intriguing and longest-lasting mysteries of Egyptian history. The exact location of the wreck and the artifact remains unknown, with various theories claiming its possible location at Gibraltar, somewhere between Malta and Spain, or near the Tuscan coast of Italy.
Many efforts have been made to locate the lost sarcophagus over the years, including a collaborative search by Spanish and Egyptian archaeologists in 2008. Recovering the cargo from one of its many potential locations, however, could pose many legal challenges, as the ship was a British vessel operating in Spanish territorial waters.
9. The Just Judges Panel
In April 1934, one of the panels from Jan van Eyck’s renowned Ghent Altarpiece was stolen from the St. Bavo Cathedral in Belgium. Also known as the Just Judges panel, the crime remains unsolved to this day, despite several efforts of the police and a series of letters from the thief available as evidence.
Karel Mortier, Ghent’s former Chief of Police, believes that there’s a high chance that the panel is hidden inside the Cathedral of St. Bavo. Based on that hunch, authorities have conducted systematic search operations of the cathedral with modern technology and sophisticated equipment, though the mystery remains unsolved.
The Ghent Altarpiece was completed in 1432 and is considered a masterpiece of early north-European painting. The polyptych, consisting of five central panels and eight double-sided wing panels, was reassembled in its original form after the First World War.
8. San Miguel’s Treasure
The ship called San Miguel was a part of a Spanish fleet dispatched from Cuba to Spain in 1715, carrying a massive treasure of American gold and silver. Loaded with possibly 14 million pesos worth of ingots, bars, and coins, it was the fastest and most heavily-laden ship of the fleet. It left a day before the other ships and was supposed to arrive safely in Spain, or that was the plan anyway. Things changed when a hurricane struck off the coast of Florida, capsizing or wrecking many ships that passed through Vero Beach. The San Miguel sank, along with other vessels, and an estimated 1,000 people lost their lives.
Despite salvage efforts by the Spanish colonial government, only about half of the treasure of the fleet was recovered. The rest – including San Miguel’s valuables – still remains buried somewhere under the depths, and no one has any idea where it might be. While several ships from the fleet and portions of their treasure have been discovered over the years, the exact location of the San Miguel treasure remains elusive.
7. Library Of The Moscow Tsars
The famous library of Ivan the Terrible is believed to have been founded by his grandfather Ivan III, when his wife first brought a collection of old books to Moscow, including manuscripts from the Library of Constantinople and the Library of Alexandria. Ivan the Terrible continued to add to the collection, resulting in a vast and impressive array of books and documents in Greek, Latin, Hebrew, Egyptian, and even Chinese texts dating back to the second century. According to a 19th-century historian, the collection even included rare works like Titus Livius’ History of Rome and Cicero’s De republica.
It’s thought that the collection was kept in the basement of the Moscow Kremlin to protect it from frequent fires in the city, though that’s only one of the theories surrounding its ultimate fate. The library vanished from records after the tsar’s death, with some believing that it was destroyed in a fire. Many efforts have been made to locate it since then, with some experts – like Russian archaeologist Ignatius Stelletskii – dedicating their entire lives to the search. Sadly, the fabled collection remains lost to history even today.
6. The Second Temple Menorah
The Second Temple Menorah is an important symbol of Jewish history, dating back to around 600 BC. It was lost when a Jewish rebellion was quashed by the Roman empire and remains missing to this day, along with many other priceless artifacts housed across the city at the time.
There are many theories surrounding the fate of the Menorah. As it’s depicted on the Arch of Titus, some believe that it was taken back to Rome and displayed to the public in a triumphal parade by the victorious Roman forces. Others think that it was stored and displayed in the Roman Temple of Peace before completely disappearing from the historical record. It could also have been taken away somewhere else or destroyed during one of many tumultuous phases of the latter Roman Empire.
5. Florentine Diamond
The Florentine Diamond was a clear, pale-yellow stone weighing 137 carats, with a long and eventful history spanning over five centuries. Its origins trace back to India, where it was discovered by an unknown individual and eventually cut into a double-rose shape with 126 facets.
The diamond first gained global attention as a part of the collection of the Duke of Burgundy, Charles the Bold. After his untimely death in 1477, however, it changed hands several times, eventually coming into the possession of the Medici family and Pope Julius II in the early 16th century. It then made its way to Maria Theresa of Austria through her marriage to the Duke of Tuscany, who incorporated it into the Austrian set of crown jewels.
The jewel would remain there until World War I, when the royal family fled Austria after Germany’s invasion and it disappeared for good. Some theories suggest that it may have been recut and sold in Geneva in 1981, possibly as a smaller stone originating from the original Florentine Diamond.
4. Michelangelo’s Mask Of A Faun
The Mask of a Faun, also sometimes called the Head of a Faun, was a marble-sculpted masterpiece created by Michelangelo when he was only 15 or 16 years of age. Believed to be a copy of another ancient piece, Michelangelo added his own details to the early work, which gained fame through publicity by Giorgio Vasari. It was initially displayed at the Uffizi Gallery before being transferred to the Bargello National Museum in 1865.
During the Second World War, art collections across Italy were moved to safe locations to protect them from artillery bombardment. Many of the sculptures housed at the Bargello Museum, including Michelangelo’s Mask, were evacuated to the Castle of Poppi in December, 1942. The castle was looted by the Germans on the night of August 22, 1944, resulting in the loss of numerous crates of art, one of which presumably held the Mask of a Faun. Despite various efforts to locate it since then, the Mask’s true location remains a mystery to this day.
3. Lost Dutchman’s Gold Mine
The legend of the Lost Dutchman Mine centers around the Superstition Mountains in Arizona – a place that has been associated with many types of myths and mysteries for centuries. The area contains ancient cliff dwellings and caves, with the original inhabitants believed to be Salado or Hohokam Indians. In its latter years, however, the Superstitions have become associated with the Apache tribe, as the mountains also served as an important Apache stronghold throughout the 1800s.
In the 1840s, the Peralta family from Mexico reportedly discovered rich gold mines in the region, though their expedition was eventually ambushed by the Apaches. Many other individuals have claimed knowledge of the mine’s supposed location, but their attempts to find it have often ended in disaster or other mysterious circumstances.
The Lost Dutchman Mine – as it’s now known – has since become one of the most famous lost treasures in American history. It still attracts many enthusiasts and experts from around the world, even if the mine is said to be cursed due to the numerous cases of individuals that have been injured or died trying to find it.
2. Paititi
Paititi is believed to be a legendary lost city of the Inca empire located somewhere in the Peruvian Andes. Its exact location, however, has always been a mystery, and multiple attempts to find it have ended in failure, or even death. Even today, teams of scientists and explorers – like the Paititi Research project – are trying to find it by using advanced geo-information technology and other modern techniques, though to little success.
According to the legend, Paititi served as the last refuge of the Incas in the dying phases of the empire, possibly as a home to the Chachapoyas people in the north Cusco region. Many explorers have tried to find it using old maps and anecdotal accounts over the years, but the harsh, hot environment and difficult terrain of the region have made it almost impossible to properly scout the area.
1. Romanov Easter Eggs
Romanov Easter Eggs were a set of bespoke, themed eggs designed for Russian tsars by the House of Fabergé – a renowned Russian jewelry house that was seized by the Bolsheviks during the Russian revolution. These eggs were elaborately designed and contained specific surprises depending on the receiver. While records exist for 52 of them, we only know the precise location of 46 today, leaving six of them completely lost to history.
Following the revolution of 1917, the House of Fabergé was nationalized, with most of its contents ransacked by the revolutionaries. The majority of the Fabergé eggs, along with many other treasures, were taken to the Kremlin Armoury, while others went missing during the looting of the palaces. While Lenin intended to preserve Russia’s cultural heritage and held them under state control, many of these artifacts items were sold to private collectors and museums around the world under Stalin’s rule. Initially undervalued, it took several decades for the eggs to be recognized as great, historical works of art, and most of them are valued in millions today.
]]>If adventure video games and movies like Indiana Jones are accurate, there are artifacts and stashes of valuables from ancient times just waiting to be discovered around the world, but is that really the case? While ‘treasure hunter’ is still not categorized as a worthwhile occupation by most career experts, some of those treasures do turn up in various circumstances, mostly by accident.
10. Ophel Treasure
In 2013, archaeologists digging at the Ophel site near Temple Mount in Jerusalem discovered a Byzantine-era cache of gold and silver artifacts dating back to the early seventh century. The find – made at a ruined Byzantine building 165 feet away from the temple’s southern wall – included a four inch gold medallion depicting a seven-branched menorah, a ram’s horn, and a Torah scroll.
The expedition was led by an archeologist from the Hebrew University of Jerusalem, and further studies on the items indicate that they were abandoned due to the Persian conquest of Jerusalem in 614. The cache included a second, smaller gold medallion, pendants, a gold coil, and a silver clasp, likely all intended for the ornamentation of the Torah scroll. The arrangement of the items suggests that one bundle was deliberately hidden underground, while the second one was abandoned and left scattered on the floor, possibly due to haste.
9. Gold-Laced Egyptian Mummy
In early 2023, a team of archeologists and researchers working in the tombs of Saqqara near Memphis, Egypt announced one of the most elaborate sets of treasures ever found in the region. Among other things, it included a 4,300-year-old mummy completely encased in layers of gold, housed in a sealed stone sarcophagus within a 33-foot shaft. It’s named Hekashepes, who might have been a particularly rich member of the ancient-Egyptian society, according to its lavish appearance and unusual set of accompanying accessories, including a headband and a chest bracelet.
The find is easily the oldest gold-covered mummy ever discovered. Unlike other mummies from the region, Hekashepes was mummified using artificial techniques and dressed in clothes at the time of its death, compared to the usual bandages we find in other tombs. Additionally, the dig also uncovered the tombs of other people from the Fifth and Sixth Dynasties of the Old Kingdom of ancient Egypt, like a judge and writer named Fetek, a priest named Khnumdjedef, and another priest who might have been called Messi.
8. Ancient Roman Silver
Archaeologists working near the city of Livorno in Tuscany, Italy recently discovered a total of 175 silver coins dating back to the ancient Roman republic. The hoard, likely buried between 157 to 82 BC during a tumultuous time in Rome’s history, could have been concealed for safekeeping during a civil war.
The coins were first spotted by a member of an archaeological group, though the information was initially kept secret from the public to complete the excavation of the area for other similar finds. Sadly, nothing else from that era was found in the region, although a Roman farm was discovered about half a mile away in a previous expedition.
According to experts, the silver could have belonged to a soldier caught in conflict or a merchant safeguarding their wealth, as stashing treasure underground for later retrieval was a common practice around that time. If we go by the dates, the find may date back to the civil war that resulted in the rise of Roman general Lucius Cornelius Sulla in 82 BC.
7. San Jose Shipwreck
The San Jose was a Spanish warship laden with treasures that was lost in Colombian waters during a battle with an English fleet back in 1708. It would take more than three centuries to know its location, when a team from Woods Hole Oceanographic Institute used a robot submarine and advanced mapping techniques to find it near the city of Cartagena in 2015. The ship, often referred to as the ‘holy grail of shipwrecks’, carried a huge treasure, including gold ingots, coins, cannons, and Chinese porcelain.
While the discovery should have settled the case, it actually led to a renewed legal and political struggle over the real ownership of the treasure. It’s claimed in full by Colombia’s government, which first agreed to a split with the treasure hunters but later altered the terms, leading to lawsuits that held out for decades. It’s also claimed by the Spanish government, along with a few other private players that were involved with the fleet at the time.
The wreck was officially announced to the world by Colombia’s President in 2015, along with images and videos that revealed the true scale of the treasure lying on the seafloor.
6. Early Renaissance Painting
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2Xb55a7Cjkw
Back in 2019, a painting called Christ Mocked by the 13th-century Florentine artist Cimabue was discovered in a house in northern France. It belonged to an elderly woman in her 90s, who – along with most of her family – never paid too much attention to the artwork, assuming that it was some old religious artwork from Russia. As it turned out, it was a historical masterpiece made by an artist many call the forefather of the Italian Renaissance.
Unaware of its importance, the woman decided to sell her house in June, 2023 and contacted experts to assess its contents. The painting was actually spotted and valued by an auctioneer, Philomène Wolf. Further studies showed the unsigned painting was a part of a larger diptych from 1280, portraying scenes of Christ’s passion and crucifixion. While it was expected to fetch around €6 million at auction, the painting ultimately sold for over €24 million, making it the most expensive medieval painting ever sold.
5. Civil War Treasure
The Great Kentucky Hoard refers to the nearly 700 gold coins dating back to the Civil War era recently unearthed in a Kentucky cornfield. Found by an anonymous individual, the collection includes $1, $10, and $20 gold coins minted before and during the Civil War, with a total value of roughly $1 million in today’s money.
The collection features many rare gold coins, including 1863 Liberty Double Eagles, which can each be valued up to $381,875 depending on their condition and minting date. According to Ryan McNutt, a conflict archaeologist at Georgia Southern University, the treasure was likely hidden before Morgan’s Raid during the civil war in 1863.
4. Panagyurishte Treasure
Discovered on December 8, 1949, by three brothers in Panagyurishte, Central Bulgaria, the Panagyurishte treasure refers to a collection of nine Thracian-era gold vessels weighing around 6 kilograms. It includes ancient-Greek drinking vessels shaped like animal heads, and the designs depict scenes from various myths and stories from that time.
Experts believe that the treasure belonged to an unknown Thracian ruler from the Odryssian tribe, dating to the late fourth and early third century BC. The gold artifacts are a blend of Hellenic, Persian, and Scythian-Sarmatian influences, though their purpose and origins remain a mystery. Some theories suggest that the vessels were used in various rituals due to the complexity of their imagery.
The Panagyurishte treasure has since been displayed in various museums worldwide, as it marks an important period in the history of both ancient Thrace and Greece.
3. Biblical Royal Purple Dye
In January 2021, archaeologists in Israel uncovered textile fragments colored with the biblical ‘argaman’ royal purple dye, dating back to the era of King David around 1,000 BC. Discovered in the Timna Valley near Eilat, these scraps provide tangible evidence of the dye’s use during the Iron Age, along with some legitimacy to the idea that an Edomite kingdom existed in the region around that time.
The purple hue was considered one of the most precious dyes in the ancient world, often associated with royalty, priesthood, and textiles used in sacred spaces like the Tabernacle and Jewish Temple. The textile pieces, believed to have traveled hundreds of kilometers to reach the Timna Valley’s Copper Mines, were found to contain unique molecules associated with the purple dye produced by murex sea snails.
2. Staffordshire Hoard
Discovered in 2009, the Staffordshire Hoard was a collection of Anglo-Saxon gold and silver metalworks made up of more than 4,000 objects and fragments. Most of it was war-gear items like swords and helmets, and according to archeologists, it’s easily the largest Anglo-Saxon treasure ever discovered anywhere.
Found in a field near Hammerwich village, Staffordshire, the hoard was likely hidden during the seventh century AD, and is believed to have belonged to the richer members of the Anglo-Saxon Kingdom of Mercia that flourished around that time. The discovery could be credited to a local metal-detectorist, Terry Herbert, and the objects were found surprisingly close to the surface, possibly due to erosion caused by ploughing.
Till now, the purpose behind its burial remains a mystery, though some experts theorize that it might have been loot acquired in battles, an offering meant for the gods, or even a means of hiding wealth from attackers.
1. Hoxne Hoard
In 1992, a retired British gardener and amateur metal-detectorist Eric Lawes discovered what is now known as the largest cache of Roman gold ever found. The Hoxne Hoard was accidentally found, as Lawes only intended to look for a lost hammer with his metal detector. As it turned out, he had stumbled upon an elaborate ancient treasure comprising 14,865 Roman gold, silver, and bronze coins, along with 200 pieces of silver tableware and gold jewelry. The hoard’s value is estimated at around $4.3 million in today’s value.
Dating back to the early-fifth century, the hoard provides some historical context into a time when Roman rule was coming to an end in Britain. According to researchers, it may have been buried there by Romano-British citizens to protect it against the societal upheavals of that time, especially raiding groups. Apart from the coins, the hoard – found within wooden boxes and an oak chest – included diverse items like silver spoons, gold jewelry, and decorative objects, among others.
]]>Incredibly, these stories of people who found remarkable artifacts without a metal detector, a map, or hours of research. Was it a need for reorganization, perhaps spring cleaning? Whatever the reason, good fortune was on their side.
This list uncovers ten artifacts of history found by locals and civilians. And begs the question—what better reason to do a more thorough search through your attic or basement?
10 Ancient Greek Crown—Hellenistic Age
Life became a little brighter for a man from Somerset, England, who has since chosen to remain anonymous. The fortunate gentleman inherited a great many possessions from his grandfather, a collector who followed his passion around the world. One of the inherited assets was a cardboard box, stored under the man’s bed. It was forgotten for a decade or longer until, at last, the rough, likely dust-covered box again saw the light of day. Under faded newspaper, the man from Somerset discovered a crown of gold. Unsure of what had been found, he decided to call in the experts.
An appraiser from Duke’s of Dorchester in Dorset, Guy Schwinge, arrived at the cottage. To say he was astonished by the laurel wreath of gold might be an underestimation. The artifact weighed under half a kilogram (1 pound) and was only 20 centimeters (8 inches) across. Schwinge estimated the wreath to be Ancient Greek in origin, perhaps 2300 years old, probably from the Hellenistic Age.
The Hellenistic Age was ushered in by the death of Alexander the Great in 323 BC and ended with the rise of Augustus in Rome in 31 BC. The exquisite golden laurels of Ancient Greece were granted as prizes for athletes and artists, worn ceremonially, and often left with aristocratic family members after their passing.
After further appraisal, the pure gold crown was estimated to be worth upward of $130,000. The auction by Duke’s of Dorchester was set for June 9, 2016, where it was anticipated the piece would fetch as much as $200,000.[1]
All from a box left under a bed.
9 Lost Caravaggio Painting
In 2014, a family in Toulouse, France, ascended to their attic to address a water leak. Behind an old mattress against a wall, they discovered a dust-covered, partially water-stained painting. The family, who asked for anonymity, called an auctioneer for an appraisal. Marc Labarbe, the auctioneer, studied the 1.4-meter by 1.8-meter (5-foot by 6-foot) painting and deemed it worthy of further inspection. He took a picture of the painting and sent it to Paris to an appraiser of art, Eric Turquin.
It took five years before Turquin was able to see the painting for himself. Well worth the wait. The painstakingly cleaned canvas had been painted in 1607—Caravaggio’s >em>Judith and Holofernes. In a story from the Old Testament, Judith of Bethulia slipped into the tent of a drunken, or sleeping, Assyrian general, then beheaded him. The painting depicts Judith’s last stroke of decapitation. A Caravaggio, indeed, Turquin agreed—one that had been lost to the world for 400 years. He authenticated the painting, worth up to $170 million.
Doubt surrounded the painting’s authenticity, as a more modest version of the painting was already displayed in the National Gallery of Ancient Art in Rome. However, X-rays and testing revealed brush strokes that were changed before the artwork was completed. Forgeries lack those alterations. Authenticated and restored, the masterwork was set to be sold at auction.
A private buyer bought the painting before the auction, for a price that was also kept private.[2]
8 Diamond Ring
A woman from Isleworth, West London, attended a car boot sale, or yard sale, where she perused a display of fake jewelry. She bought a large “diamond” ring in 1987 for £10 ($13). It was clouded and rather unremarkable in appearance. She wore it for over two decades before a jeweler inspected the ring more closely. They advised her to have it appraised. The large diamond was real—a 26-carat diamond from the 19th century.
Sotheby’s in London authenticated the jewel, which then sold for an incredible £656,750 ($850,000).[3]
7 Gold Lacquer Chest
In 1970, a French shell engineer browsing lacquerware bought a 1.5-meter-long (5-foot) chest for £100 ($130), which today would be about £1300 ($1600. He resided in South Kensington for sixteen years, using the chest to prop up his television. When he retired and was able to return home to the Loire Valley, the chest became a bar. And there it sat until his passing when the house was emptied, and its contents were appraised. To the appraisers’ amazement, the television stand turned bar storage was a treasure missing since the 1940s.
The Victoria and Albert Museum had searched for the chest through collectors and auction houses, a search that spanned half a century. Strangely enough, the artifact was less than a mile away from the museum. The cedar and gold lacquer chest was crafted in the 1600s, a masterpiece by a master crafter, Kaomi Nagashige of Kyoto/Kyote, Japan. It remained with the Dutch East India’s Japanese office until it was sold in 1658.
The buyer was a Minister of France, Cardinal Mazarin, who left the chest to his family for generations. From France, the chest traveled to England, where it was bought by the English novelist William Beckford. In 1882, the chest was sold to Sir Trevor Lawrence, a surgeon and art collector who died in 1913. It resided with a Welsh coal mine owner, Sir Clifford Cory, until 1941 when the chest was lost to history. Except, Zaniewski, a Polish doctor living in London, had bought. Zaniewski sold it to the French shell engineer in 1970, who kept it until after 1986. Only then was it seen by brothers and auctioneers Phillippe and Aymeric Rouillac.
Nagashige’s masterwork was auctioned on July 9, 2013. It was bought by the Rijksmuseum in Amsterdam for £6.3 million ($7.75 million).[4]
6 Shakespeare’s Last Play?
John Stone, a scholar of the University of Barcelona, was browsing the Royal Scots College’s library, Salamanca, when he noticed a book of English plays. Within the pages of plays, he found William Shakespeare’s The Two Noble Kinsmen. Published in 1634, written from 1613 to 1614 with playwright John Fletcher, the play was completed before Shakespeare returned to his home in Stratford-Upon-Avon. It was possibly the last play Shakespeare wrote before he died in 1616.
The Two Noble Kinsmen remains one of the lesser-known works of Shakespeare. The edition was bound in leather, the original binding from the 1600s. Shakespeare may have written Acts I and V, though that is still debated by scholars. While the book has not been sold, to give an estimation of worth, Shakespeare’s First Folio was sold by Christie’s auctioneers in 2020 in New York for more than £7.33 million ($9 million).[5]
5 Painting in a Kitchen, Cimabue
Cimabue, or Cenni di Pepo, was an artist of the Italian Renaissance. He was born in Florence and was a painter in the 14th century. Cimabue didn’t sign his eleven pieces of artwork painted on wood; only those eleven are accredited to him. One of them was found in France, hanging in a house in Compiègne. The woodwork painting was only 26cm x 20cm (10″ x 8″), but it was a masterwork even so—known as Christ Mocked.
The house’s owner, a woman who remains anonymous, then 90 years old, considered it mere religious kitsch. In other words, worthless. It had been in the kitchen for decades; no one in the family knew where the painting had been acquired.
In 2019, the owner of the house decided to sell and move. They called auctioneers from the auction house Acteon in Senlis, France. Philomène Wolf arrived at the house. With only a week to appraise the contents of the house, Wolf saved the “worthless” work from the trash bin. It was sent to be further appraised at the Cabinet Turquin in Paris.
Turquin’s determined the art piece to be a Cimabue. In fact, the small painting was from 1280, part of a diptych, or a set of painted wooden panels, that portrayed eight scenes of the “passion and crucifixion of Christ.”
Philomène Wolf estimated the painting to sell for about $400,000. Turquin’s expected an auction offer of nearly $7 million. To everyone’s utter stupefaction and glee, the painting sold for nearly $27 million.[6]
4 Chess Piece in a Drawer
A walrus-ivory chess piece, nicked, faded, and worn, was found in a Scottish family’s kitchen drawer. Their grandfather, an antique dealer, had purchased it for £5 ($6) in 1964 in Edinburgh. As stated by the family, neither their grandfather nor any other member of their family knew it was of any value. After finding the chess piece, the grandchildren brought it to Sotheby’s in London.
Researchers at Sotheby’s knew the rook was world-famous. It was one of 93 chess pieces from the famous Lewis Chessmen. Five of those Viking artifacts, 900 years old, are still missing. They were originally found on the Isle of Lewis, Outer Hebrides, Scotland. The rook had been lost for nearly two hundred years.
The auction house estimated the piece to be worth £1 million ($1.3 million).[7]
3 (Another) Painting in an Attic, Van Gogh
In 1910, a Norwegian industrialist, Christian Mustad, bought Sunset at Montmajour, which he believed to be painted by the Dutch Post-Impressionist painter Van Gogh. A French ambassador to Sweden convinced Mustad that the painting was a forgery. It was banished to the attic of Mustad’s Norwegian house, where it remained until 1991. The inheritors of the house brought it to the Van Gogh Museum in Amsterdam. They were told the painting was a forgery, mainly because it was unsigned. Van Gogh signed his paintings with his first name, Vincent, and sometimes hid the signature within the painting.
In 2011, the painting was reassessed by the Van Gogh museum. Though it took two years, Sunset at Montmajour was finally accredited to the master painter. It had been completed near Van Goh’s house in Arles, France, on July 4, 1888, only two years before the artist’s death. A letter from Van Gogh to his brother, Theo, revealed that the painting hadn’t been signed because of the artist’s disappointment with the piece. “It was well below what I’d wished to do,” Vincent wrote, which led to the painting’s authentication.
The Van Gogh Museum chemically analyzed the paints from the Sunset painting. The pigmentation of the paints was the same as those used by the artist. Scans of the canvas were matched to other paintings of Van Gogh’s from that month—Van Gogh painted 2,100 pieces in his lifetime. He wrote about many of them to his brother, who had been responsible for selling the artwork. The artist only sold one painting in his lifetime, the Red Vinyard, for 400 Belgian francs, $400.
An anonymous owner bought, Sunset at Montmajour. Its sale price is unknown, though in 1987, the famous Vase With Fifteen Sunflowers sold for nearly $33 million. The most famous Van Gogh, Starry Night, is worth hundreds of millions.[8]
2 The Garden Planter
It was 1982 when a Northumberland family bought a house near Hadrian’s Wall, Newcastle, England. Their dilemma: what to do with the 2.1-meter (6′ 9″) “trough” in their backyard? They decided to use it for planting… for thirty years—until they saw a similar structure for sale at an auction house. Upon inspection of the garden planter, a copper plate on the back read, “Bought from Rome in 1902.” Carved into the front were the Three Graces from Greek mythology: charm, beauty, and creativity.
Experts were called for an appraisal, including Guy Schwinge, of Duke’s auction house in Dorset, England. The family was told their planter was a 2,000-year-old sarcophagus of Carrara marble from the 1st or 2nd century AD. It may have been taken from a mausoleum, the resting place of an affluent Roman.
The sarcophagus was lifted from the property and brought to Dorchester, where it was auctioned. While the auction price is unknown, a similar sarcophagus sold for over $130,000.[9]
1 The Ancient City in a Basement
A man in Turkey was in the middle of renovating his basement when he knocked down a wall to reveal the discovery of a lifetime. It was 1963 in Cappadocia when the basement wall came down and uncovered a room that led to a tunnel. Where did the tunnel lead? Almost 61 meters (200 feet) underground—to an entire ancient Byzantine-era city of stone. Scholars debate the date, ranging from 2000 BC for the Hittites, 700 BC for the Phrygians, or AD 780–1180 for the Christians. It may have been in use up to the 1920s as a refuge from natural disasters and war.
The city was called Derinkuyu: 18 levels of inhabitable space, all of which could be individually blocked off with rolling stone doors. Deinkuyu connected to other underground cities through tunnels that spanned miles and had more than six hundred entrances. Twenty thousand people, or more, would have thrived, with food storage rooms, including those for livestock, stables, schools, kitchens, chapels, wineries, and wells. Also, tombs and a dungeon were found.
Derinkuyu became a tourist attraction in 1969, open to the public.[10]
]]>From advanced deep-sea expeditions to your schlubby neighbor armed with only a metal detector he got on sale at Walmart, treasure hunters all share a common goal of someday striking 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
Situated near the alpine village of Altaussee, Austria, an abandoned salt mine provided an ideal hideaway for priceless artwork poached by the Nazis during World War Two. The plunder, which included Michelangelo’s “Madonna of Bruges” and eight panels of “The Adoration of the Lamb” by Jan van Eyck, was intended for the Fuhrermuseum — an unrealized tribute to the failed artist-turned-dictator. Instead, while Hitler cowered in his bunker, members of an obscure American military unit became unlikely heroes after locating the stolen loot in the spring of 1945.
A program called the Monuments, Fine Arts, and Archives Section (MFAA) had been established by the Allies to help protect (and ultimately return) cultural property affected by the war. The volunteer group consisted of men and women, lending their expertise as art historians, museum curators, professors, and architects.
After the war, several MFAA members went on to prestigious careers at leading universities and art institutions throughout the world. And in 2014, some were portrayed in the film, The Monuments Men, starring and directed by George Clooney.
9. Saqqara Tombs
The necropolis at Saqqara dates back more than 4000 years, having serviced the former Egyptian capital of Memphis. Over the past decade, archeologists have discovered numerous astonishing discoveries, including hundreds of elaborately decorated sarcophagi and dozens of mummified cats.
Located on the west bank of the Nile River about 15 miles south of modern Cairo, the sacred burial ground is known as the “Cemetery of Ancient Animals” — a sprawling temple complex associated with the popular feline goddess Bastet, the protector of home and family. A recent dig unearthed a large bronze statue of the deity and more than 100 wooden cat figures gilded with gold.
Additionally, a team of Egyptologists found a 13-foot-long scroll was found inside a burial shaft. The papyrus text contains excerpts from the Book of the Dead, a guidebook used by believers to navigate the afterlife.
8. Caesarea
Scuba diving is a popular activity enjoyed by underwater enthusiasts across the globe. Although exploring the ocean’s depths isn’t without peril (like drowning or getting munched by a shark), sometimes a casual outing with friends can lead to an unexpected bounty.
In 2015, members of a local diving club near Tel Aviv spotted something sparkling on the bottom of a derelict harbor in the Caesarea National Park. Further examination revealed a stockpile of 24-karat gold coins from the Fatimid Caliphate, a Shiite Arab dynasty that ruled along the Mediterranean coast from 909 to 1171 CE.
The divers quickly alerted the Marine Archaeology Unit of the Israel Antiquities Authority (IAA), who eventually uncovered more than 2000 coins — Israel’s largest-ever gold horde. The discovery had been made possible due to a recent heavy storm that stirred up the ocean floor, altering the underwater topography.
According to IAA numismatic expert Robert Cole, “The coins are in an excellent state of preservation, and despite the fact they were at the bottom of the sea for about a thousand years, they did not require any cleaning or conservation intervention from the metallurgical laboratory.”
7. Cuerdale Hoard
In 1840, workers repairing a river embankment at Cuerdale in northern England unearthed the largest Viking silver treasure trove ever found in western Europe. The haul dated back to the early 10th century CE and had been buried in a heavy lead chest containing silver coins and bullion worth $3.2 million in modern currency.
The Scandinavians were known to have traveled along an established route in the Ribble Valley between Viking-controlled York and the Irish Sea. Some archeologists believe the invaders may have intentionally hidden the chest for reasons related to Pagan beliefs.
Norse mythology suggests that burial items, such as spoils won in battle, could be used in the afterlife. As the story goes, fallen warriors were escorted by the Valkyries (alluring war-goddesses) and taken to Odin’s mythical hall of Valhalla, where they’d party like it was 1099 before heading to the final battle of Ragnarök (the end of the world). In other words, you can actually take it with you to Viking heaven.
6. Hoxne Hoard
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-_yOmrHDaAk
Searching for misplaced household items can be tediously exhausting, often accompanied by self-deprecating outbursts of, “I’m an idiot!” However, sometimes these mental lapses are rewarded with other things far more valuable than that loose change under your sofa cushions.
In 1992, Peter Whatling, a tenant farmer from the English village of Hoxne, lost his hammer in a muddy field. After failing to locate it by himself, he enlisted the help of his neighbor, Eric Lawes, who owned a metal detector. The WWII veteran (Royal Marines) soon stumbled upon an oaken chest containing the richest Roman discovery ever found in Great Britain.
The Suffolk Archaeological Unit later carried out an emergency investigation at the site, eventually yielding nearly 15,000 gold and silver coins as well as other historically significant pieces. The excavation also dug up the missing tool. Eureka! Most of the coins are from to the early 5th century CE, a period that saw the Roman Empire’s 400-year rule over Britannia finally come to an end.
For his efforts, Lawes received £1.75 million pounds from the British government, which he split with Whatling. Today, the Hoxne Hoard is on display at the British Museum in London, including the now infamous hammer.
5. SS Gairsoppa
During the early stages of WWII, German U-boats wreaked havoc on Allied ships in the North Atlantic. One of those casualties, the British merchant vessel, SS Gairsoppa, sank approximately 300 miles southwest of Ireland’s Galway Bay after being torpedoed. The watery grave sat undisturbed for 70 years before an American treasure-hunting firm found it, resulting in the heaviest quantity of pure silver ever recovered from the sea.
The steam-powered freighter had been tasked with transporting a large consignment of silver bullion from Calcutta to Liverpool, a harrowing journey covering 5,000 miles in treacherous, Nazi-infested seas. The slow-moving freighter was later forced to break away from its convoy to refuel, allowing U-101 to pounce on the easy target.
Seven decades later, the Odyssey Marine Exploration located the wreck of the Gairsoppa at a depth of over 15,000 feet while conducting ROV (Remotely Operated Vehicle) operations. The deep-water specialists recovered 2,792 silver bars from the wreck, estimated at $210 million. The Royal Mint later issued a limited number of silver coins from the .999 pure bullion. It’s also worth noting that 25 of the original silver bars remain at large.
4. King Tut
This year marks the 100th anniversary of the discovery of King Tutankhamun’s tomb. Although the young ruler wasn’t an especially important king, his immaculately preserved royal burial chamber provided an invaluable understanding of ancient Egyptian culture.
Tutankhamun’s tomb, unlike those belonging to other pharaohs, had avoided being poached by grave robbers and remained sealed for over 3,000 years. After spending five years exploring the Valley of the Kings, British archaeologist Howard Carter located the tomb on November 26, 1922. He eventually found some 5,000 items, including chariots, ornate jewelry, and a gold death mask. The tomb also showcased the well-preserved mummified body of the boy king, who ascended to the throne at the age of nine and ruled until his death ten years later, around 1323 BCE.
The artifacts were later exhibited at museums worldwide and even inspired the hit song “King Tut” performed by comedian Steve Martin and the Toot Uncommons (actually, members of the Nitty Gritty Dirt Band).
3. Atocha Motherlode
The adage “If at first, you don’t succeed, try, and try again” certainly applies to the next entry on our list. Legendary deep-sea explorer Mel Fisher spent nearly two decades searching for a fabled Spanish galleon laden with silver, gold, and rare emeralds valued at a whopping $400 million.
The voyage of the ill-fated Nuestra Senora de Atocha, named for the holiest shrine in Madrid, commenced in the early spring of 1622. The heavily armed ship set sail as part of a large fleet from Spain to the New World colonies. After spending five months gathering tons of goods from various ports, the bloated vessel arrived at Havana several weeks behind schedule. Now facing storm season, neither skilled seamanship nor God’s providence could protect the convoy from Mother Nature’s wrath.
On September 5, 1622, the mahogany-hulled galleon ran into a hurricane and eventually crashed into jagged coral reefs off the coast of Key West. All 265 passengers and crew drowned except three sailors and two slaves, who managed to cling to the mizzenmast until being rescued the following day. The scattered remains of the Atocha, along with several other smaller boats, plummeted to the seafloor. Over time, all traces of the ships would vanish with subsequent violent storms.
Flash forward to 1969, when Fisher embarked on his lengthy odyssey, gleefully 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 all perished when their boat capsized in rough seas.
But through it all, the intrepid treasure hunter never gave up. A smattering of items from the Atocha, including bronze cannons and gold bars, ultimately led to finding the motherlode in 1985.
2. Antikythera Treasures
At the turn of the 20th century, Greek divers located an ancient Roman cargo vessel near the island of Antikythera along the edge of the Aegean Sea. The ship, dating from the mid-first century CE, contained an impressive collection of priceless jewelry, classical life-size statues, and an otherworldly piece of technology that came to be known as the Antikythera mechanism.
The bronze, hand-powered device is often described as the oldest example of an analog computer and features a sophisticated set of interlocking gears capable of predicting the movement of the sun, moon, and several planets. The ‘mechanism’ is believed to have been used to plan religious rituals, agricultural activities, and possibly early Olympic Games. Because it predates all similar tools by more than one thousand years, its historical significance cannot be overstated, and is currently housed at the National Archaeological Museum in Athens.
1. The San José
It’s been hailed as the ‘Holy Grail of Treasure’ — although ‘Holy Greed’ might be a more fitting description. On June 8, 1708, a three-masted Spanish galleon carrying an enormous shipment of gold and silver coins sank off the coast of Cartagena, Colombia. More than 300 years later, a fierce legal fight is being waged over the rights of an estimated 17 billion sunken booty.
The San José was the largest warship of a Spanish treasure fleet operating along the Carrera de las Indias, a commercial sea route linking Spain to its vast colonial empire in the Americas. But before the vessel could return home, it came under attack by the British Royal Navy during the War of Spanish Succession. At the time, the protracted conflict involved most western European powers, triggered by the death of heir-less King Charles II of Spain.
In November 2015, the Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution (WHOI), the same company which helped locate the Titanic, found the lost galleon using a robot submarine. The discovery soon led to a contentious dispute over the messy business of international law, national sovereignty, and the blight of colonialism.
Claimants for the staggering sum include Colombia, Spain, WHOI, and descendants of the Indigenous people from whom the cargo was originally pilfered. Meanwhile, the treasure remains at the bottom of the sea in a secretly held location (psst: it’s near Baru Island).
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