People travel for different reasons. Some for pleasure and others for business. But the ambitious ones travel for one thing - treasure hunting. And that’s a serious thing that is still in vogue today. Many ancient civilizations had a lot of gold and other valuable items that are usually estimated to be worth millions, billions, and sometimes trillions of dollars. Many of these civilizations had secret places where the treasures were kept for hundreds of years but oftentimes when the civilizations are ransacked and overrun by enemies, these treasure hoards are infiltrated and emptied. But some have remained hidden for thousands of years and have even been forgotten or lost over time. Some clues to these treasures can be found in ancient books, historical records, or legends passed down through generations but it's no small task to find them. One thing to keep in mind is that these treasures unless found will remain hidden as they neither decay nor vanish. These treasures may be gold, diamond, opal, jewelry, lost cities, dinosaur teeth, or any other thing that can be considered valuable to the modern world. With that in mind, here are some treasure hot spots around the world that will make treasure hunters feel like Indiana Jones.
8 Llanganatis Mountains, Ecuador - The Lost Inca Gold
The legend of the lost Inca gold has stuck with the world for many years. Many have claimed that this lost gold is worth billions of dollars in value but finding the gold is what has kept this treasure hidden for thousands of years. According to the legend, 750 tons of gold was hidden deep in the Llanganatis Mountains in modern-day Ecuador by Inca General Ruminahui when the Spaniards betrayed the deal to release the Inca ruler in exchange for the treasure. He was eventually tortured to death when he refused to reveal the whereabouts of the massive treasure. The legend goes on to tell how the location of the treasure was hunted by several Spanish treasure hunters who would send word that they had found the treasure but would mysteriously disappear on their way back from the mountain or on the sea while trying to transport a few of the treasure for trade. While this might just be a legend, nowhere else in the world has such a huge amount of gold been reported to be hidden and this has made people curious about the site. Due to its severity, the region has been made a national park and one can visit to hunt for ages-lost gold.
7 Askum, Ethiopia - The Ark Of The Covenant
The whereabouts of the Ark of the Covenant have remained a mystery for thousands of years. Scholars only know it was real. According to the Hebrews, this golden chest was the resting place of the Ten Commandments given to Moses on Mount Sinai by God. But besides hosting the ten commandments, the Ark of the Covenant was frequently carried into battle where it helped them defeat enemies and level cities. This priceless treasure was eventually lost after the fall of Jerusalem to the Babylonians. For many years, according to one well-known story, the ark passed through different hands until it ended up in the Kingdom of Aksum which is located in modern-day Ethiopia. Today, one can visit the ancient city and hunt for this priceless treasure as Indiana Jones did in Raiders of the Lost Ark (1981).
6 The Jordan Museum, Jordan - The Copper Scroll
The Copper Scroll is an ancient copper treasure map that details 64 locations of tons of hidden gold and silver. Presently, this scroll is housed in the Jordan Museum but the actual locations it reveals are spread out all over the Judean region. Many of the locations mentioned in the scroll tell of locations that might have existed but can not be located in the modern world and this has left hunting for the treasures difficult.
5 The Amazon Rainforest - Paititi (The Lost City Of Gold)
Lives have been lost, and centuries have passed but the search for Paititi - the lost city of gold has only grown stronger. According to legend, somewhere deep in the Amazon rainforest is a lost Inca city that possesses an unimaginable wealth of gold and silver. For many years, this city has been sought by archaeologists and treasure hunters to no avail. The dangers of the vast forest as well as the mysteries surrounding the city make the numerous searches dangerous, difficult and so far futile.
4 Poland - The Nazi Gold Train
If there was one thing the Nazis were known for, it was destroying cities and looting them. But no one thought they could have hidden an entire train filled with treasures and gold in parts of a country they ransacked. Since 1945, the search for a lost train filled with treasures believed to have been hidden by the Nazis has been ongoing, drawing interest from historians and people from all over the world but nothing has so far been discovered. Many historians believe this gold train never existed but this has not deterred treasure hunters who have taken it as a life goal to search for the lost Nazi Gold Train.
3 France - The Golden Owl
Some treasures are hidden or lost during perilous times but others are deliberately hidden to spark interest among treasure hunters around the world and this is the case with the Golden Owl. This treasure hunt for the Golden Owl is quite interesting and it all began after a man named Max Valentin hid the gold statue of an Owl in flight in France and then published a 22-page book in 1993 that contains clues and riddles about the hidden treasure. This is no legend or myth. The treasure exists but still has not been found after more than 25 years of its hunt.
2 North America - The Knights Templar Treasure
When King Philip IV of France began persecuting the Knights Templar, the holy organization went into hiding and also took their treasures with them. Fearing that their treasures might be found if left in Europe, this secret society sailed for North America with more than 10 ships containing an army of treasures to be hidden away forever out of the reach of men. Many tunnels and caves have been discovered in parts of North America believed to be linked to the Knights but the treasure remains hidden. What makes the Knights Templar Treasure more interesting is that it is believed to contain priceless treasures such as - the Holy grail and (according to many beliefs), the Long lost Ark of the Covenant.
1 Arizona - The Lost Dutchman’s Mine
Lost treasures are in every part of the world, especially in America and the Lost Dutchman’s Mine is one of those that can be found in this country. For more than a hundred years people have searched for this treasure hidden in the superstition mountains of Arizona. Some have died in the process but the search continues. According to the legend, this incredibly rich gold mine was first spotted by an elderly man named Jacob Waltz. Since nothing was appealing to spend all that wealth on at his age, he kept the location hidden until his dying moment when he revealed clues to its location. The search has continued ever since.