Fairy treasures exist not only in books. And sometimes they are found almost by accident and in the most unexpected places. We talk about the five famous and impressive treasures in the article.
Treasure of the Princes Naryshkins (Russia, 2012)
The find was discovered by accident during the restoration work of the princely mansion. One of the workers, having damaged, it would seem, the main wall, got into a secret room lined with bags and boxes.
After the experts conducted an inventory of the found property, the list turned out to be more than impressive - as many as 2168 items. The Naryshkin hoard is the most voluminous and valuable find among those that were discovered on the territory of Russia.
The attention of historians was attracted by tea sets. As it turned out, there were almost five sets in total, and among them was a ceremonial table service made by Sazikov's firm, famous at that time. In total, it includes more than two hundred different items.
Among other valuables, the works of such noble masters as Ovchinnikov, Khlebnikov, the jewelry workshop of the Grachev brothers were found. Not without the works of Keibel and Faberge. Products of European manufacturers were also found. Many jewels were packed in cases of that time, also of considerable value.
Scientists have come to the conclusion that the Naryshkins "secured" their wealth during the period of the beginning of revolutionary actions in Russia, wanting to save family values from plunder.
Staffordshire Treasure (England, 2009)
This time, the lucky one was 55-year-old Terry Herbert, an ordinary fan of wandering around with a metal detector. The discovery made by him turned into a real sensation. Local media even compared it to the return of the lost treasures of Tutankhamen.
The cache turned out to be incredibly rich. After all, several thousand jewelry made of silver and gold were found in it. After an assessment of experts, the value of the found wealth was announced - this is 3,285 million pounds.
The hoard was most likely hidden between 650-675 AD and contains artifacts likely made in both the XNUMXth and early XNUMXth centuries. The found objects became one of the most important finds in the history of Anglo-Saxon archeology. Almost all artifacts are related to military paraphernalia and do not contain items intended for women. The build quality is very high.
According to local laws, the total cost of the treasure was to be divided between the owner of the land, Fred Johnson, on which the treasures were discovered, and the lucky ones who found them. However, this issue caused a real conflict, as the seeker accused the landowner of wanting to take all the money for himself.
Collection of coins from the storerooms of the public library (Germany, 2011)
This time the scene was the public library of one of the small towns of Bavaria, Passau. The circumstances of the discovery of the treasure seemed completely unbelievable. It was found among the books during the regular cleaning.
The woman drew attention to an inconspicuous box, opening which, found real treasures. The found collection of coins was estimated at several million euros.
The library concluded that the collection of 172 well-preserved coins, most of which were silver, probably belonged to the prince-bishops of Passau. They appear to have been hidden around 1803 when such church assets were turned over to the state. Perhaps the owners wanted the property not to fall into the hands of tax inspectors.
Treasures of the Island of Jersey - 700 kg coins (UK, 2012)
The largest European treasure was "heard" by a non-professional treasure hunter on the island of Jersey. After the recount and weighing of the coins found, their total weight was 700 kg, and the number was a record 69.
Experts who studied the coins dated the find to the fifties BC. The treasure lay in the ground for more than two millennia.
Coins, according to historical data, were in circulation among the Corioslite tribes (ancient Celts), who inhabited the territory of present-day Brittany. Probably, again, according to historians, the money was hidden by the Celts shortly before the invasion of the legions of Julius Caesar.
Initially, it was impossible to count the total number of coins, because over the long centuries, clay and metal practically penetrated each other. The treasure was a single ingot.
Numismatists estimated the cost of one at approximately two hundred pounds sterling. The approximate cost of the find was 10 million pounds.
Treasures of Sri Padmanabhaswam Temple (India, 2011)
The world's largest treasures were found in the temple of Sri Padmanabhaswam. According to experts, the value of the discovered treasure is more than 22 billion dollars.
For many centuries, donations and offerings were brought to the temple, which were accumulated in the vaults. Some of them were regularly opened, and the items stored there were used during festivities and ceremonies. However, several rooms remained sealed until recently.
Ten years ago, the first of these vaults was opened, and silver and gold coins, precious stones and jewelry were found in it. They were valued at many billions of dollars.
The question of the distribution of the found is still open. But in addition, three more vaults remained locked. And their fate is also not yet decided.
