Civilizations have come and go. Most ancient civilizations were able to amass countless treasures found on Earth. They were the richest people of their time. It was until new and more powerful civilizations threaten their existence that they are forced to keep their treasure a mystery. Here are the top 5 mysterious lost treasures.
1. The Alamo Treasure
The Alamo was the site of one of the most famous battles in the history of the United States. Over 100 soldiers held the Alamo against the Mexican Army. Although the battle was soon over when the soldiers were all killed, there was still a lingering mystery within the compounds of the Alamo. It was said that Jim Bowie and Davey Crockett had a treasure hidden within the confines of the Alamo. The treasure was made up of gold and silver was supposed to be used to fund the war against the Mexican Army. The gold and silver were supposedly used to bring in more men and keep the army from getting hungry while they stay and defend their land against the oncoming onslaught of the Mexican Army. The treasure was called the San Saba Treasure. After the death of the 188 men who defended the Alamo, it inspired hundreds and thousands of Texians to join the army and would later defeat the Mexican Army on April 21, 1836, at the Battle of San Jacinto.
After the war for Texas Independence, rumors started to flourish about the treasure. It was said that the treasure was buried on the grounds of the Alamo. Certain gold diggers and treasure hunters have tried and failed to find the treasure up to this day.
2. Montezuma’s Treasure
Montezuma’s treasure is one of the most famous lost treasures in the United States. Legend has it that when the great Montezuma was captured by the Spanish conquistadors, they demanded ransom instead the runners of their tribe warned the tribes to hide their treasures and so they buried them in order to avoid the Spanish conquistadors from ransacking their entire resources. It was said that the gold treasures were buried under the labyrinth which is found at the Casa Grande Ruins National Monument. An extensive excavation happened in the area but there was nothing under the ground that could tell that the tribes did hide their golden treasures there.
There are other versions of the legend as well. There was a version wherein a Mexican aristocrat dug for gold at the Sierra Estrellas and enslaved countless Apaches to do it. When the Apaches mounted a rebellion against the aristocrat, the Mexican had to hide his treasures in a canyon. When the rebellion was over, one man survived and searched for the treasure but failed to find the lost treasure.
3. The City Of Paititi
One might have heard the tales of the city of El Dorado wherein the legend says that the city is made up of gold. But, there are countless more cities in South America that have been known to be filled with gold. One of which is the city of Paititi. The city was the last stand for the ancient Incas of Peru against the invading Spanish colony. For several years, the Incas were able to withstand the charging forces of the Spanish colony by hiding underneath the vast and dangerous terrains of the Amazon jungle. Within the jungle, the Incas have formed a settlement that has enveloped them for protection. They named the city Paititi and it was a settlement filled with golden artifacts. When the Spanish colony finally conquered the city, the residents have already fled taking with them their rich resources.
The city was then covered by the jungle after several hundred years of solitude. It was only up until recently that an amazing discovery was found after deforestation happened in Boco do Acre region of Brazil. An ancient settlement was found and was thought to be the city of Paititi. One can even track down the city through the use of Google Earth but the golden treasures have already been long gone.
4. The Flor de la Mar Treasure
The Flor De La Mar was a ship captained by the famous Alfonso de Albuquerque. The ship was once a battleship that led to the Portuguese invasion of Malacca and other neighboring settlements. It was when the fall of Malacca that the captain set sailed back to Portugal to deliver the spoils of war. They were the largest treasure ever assembled by the Portugal navy. The Flor de la Mar housed most of the treasures and began the journey back to Portugal along with four other ships. On the fateful day of November 20, 1511, the fleet was caught in a huge storm at the Strait of Malacca and the Flor de la Mar broke in two. A lot of lives were lost.
Although the captain and several other members were saved, the treasures and the lives of many more were lost to the sea. For several years, divers and bounty hunters have sailed throughout the Strait of Malacca but due to the inaccuracy of the maps from the past, the treasure was never to be found.
5. The Treasures Of the Knights Templar
The Knights Templar were a religious military order that served to protect the pilgrimage towards the Holy Land. They settled into the vast land of Jerusalem and were declared a charity by Pope Innocent II. Years of constant donations from people made the Knights Templar the wealthiest of all. They have amassed gold, silver, jewelry, and precious objects. They have even formed an early banking system but was unpopular to people.
By 1291 AD, the Knights Templar have fallen and they were driven out of the Middle East. When the news reached the kingdoms of the West, they ordered the arrest of Knights Templar based in France and other parts of Europe. They were tortured and had to confess where they hid the treasures. But, as the news spread across Europe, other Knights Templar have made sure that the people who want the treasure will never find them.
Even more intriguing is that most Knights Templar were never arrested and some disappeared out of existence once the proclamation of their arrest was made.