One of the most romantic pursuits is the search for historical artifacts. Everything found in the ground or in the hiding place is usually called the familiar word "treasure". What is gold, silver and precious metals - everyone knows, but is it only considered a treasure? First, let's get acquainted with the meaning of the concept.
The general meaning of the concept of "treasure"
What is a treasure in a broad sense? These are valuable items hidden in any way. Their owner is unknown or has lost their right to them. However, this designation is household. There is another concept that relates to archeology.
The treasure (what it means in archeology, we will consider) has its own characteristics:
- occupies a significant territory;
- consists of items of the same period;
- it includes tools, utensils, weapons and everything that was created by a person of a particular archaeological culture.
Archaeologists are interested in all the subjects of the historical layer they study. Those who dig for profit are only interested in valuable exhibits. Most often these are products from precious metals. Everything else they recline as garbage.
What does the law say?
The legislation of different countries refers to the found treasures in their own way. Most often, the owner of the find is the one who owns the land, and the one who found it. In Russia, for example, the landowner and treasure hunter share everything equally. But if the item has artistic value, the state takes it to itself, and reimburses those who find it for the landowner and the seeker half of the value indicated by the expert.
In England, the discovery must be reported within 14 days so as not to subsequently be held criminally liable. Experts study the treasure, and according to their findings, the state pays the landowner and the treasure hunter cash compensation in full or returns the find to the one who found it.
In many US states, a treasure over 100 years old, found on state land, is considered an archaeological site. It belongs to the authorities of the state where it was discovered.
In the world about the treasures found, there are different stories. The treasure in them, as a rule, is either material or artistic value. The presence of these findings is not always a confirmed fact.
Archaeological treasures
The bulk of the treasures was discovered in the XIX-XX centuries. European archaeologists explored the territories of ancient civilizations in Egypt, India, South America.
The most impressive treasure (what we already know) was found in 2011 in India. It is assumed that he belonged to the rulers of Travankor, who for thousands of years have been putting together jewels in the temple. The find is estimated at 20 billion US dollars.
Another no less impressive is the treasure of the tomb of Tutankhamun. The entrance to it was discovered in 1922, but managed to enter inside only a year later. The finds remained intact. They consisted of works of art, precious jewelry, a sarcophagus of pure gold in which the body of the pharaoh was, and much more. Today, the entrance to the tomb is closed to tourists due to changes in the outer layer of its walls.
Priam's Treasures is a classic treasure in the land. They were discovered by Heinrich Schliemann in 1873 during excavations of the legendary Troy, but the find does not belong to this period, it existed a thousand years before it. Today, the so-called treasure of Troy is located in Moscow (Pushkin Museum).
Treasures of sunken ships
In addition to land, many treasures are located at the bottom of the seas and oceans. With the proliferation of shipbuilding, people began to transport precious goods by water. Some of them drowned in due time due to storms, sabotage on board or capture by pirates, which also constitute a treasure.
The ships that sank are still a great many on the seabed. Searching for them is much more difficult, since the current constantly displaces them from the crash site. Complicates the task and cost of the expedition along the seabed.
Nevertheless, the following ships with treasures on board were found:
- Spanish frigate sunk in 1804. His find by an American company is considered the most valuable in history among underwater treasures. On board in 2007, tons of gold and silver were found in Spanish coins. The cargo had to be returned to the Spanish government in 2012.
- Treasures of Atocha galleon (Spain), which were discovered in 1985 by Mel Fisher. Hundreds of gold and more than a thousand silver ingots, jewelry, weapons of the 17th century were found.
- The cargo of the Russian galliot "St. Michael" was found in 1961 in Finland. On the ship were items made of precious metals and stones that were intended for Elizaveta Petrovna: a collection of golden snuffboxes, a collection of watches made of gold and silver, Meissen porcelain, carved gilded carriage. Today all this is in Finland.