One of the most romantic activities is the search for historical artifacts. Everything found in the ground or a cache 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 treasure in the broadest sense? These are valuable items hidden in any way. Their owner is unknown or lost the right to them. However, this designation is household. There is another concept that refers to archeology.
The treasure (what does it mean in archeology, we will consider) has its own characteristics:
- occupies a large area;
- 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.
Scientists-archaeologists are interested in all subjects of the historical layer they study. Those who excavate for profit are only interested in valuable exhibits. Most often these are products made of precious metals. Allthe rest is discarded like garbage.
What does the law say?
The legislation of different countries treats 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 the treasure hunter share everything equally. But if the object has artistic value, the state takes it for itself, and the landowner and seeker who found it will be reimbursed half the cost, which the expert will indicate.
In England, it is necessary to report the discovery within 14 days in order not to bear criminal liability later. Experts study the treasure, and according to their conclusions, the state pays the landowner and the treasure hunter monetary 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 the land of the state, is considered an archaeological value. It belongs to the state where it was found.
There are different stories about found treasures in the world. The treasure in them, as a rule, is either material or artistic value. The presence of these finds is not always a confirmed fact.
Archaeological treasures
Most of the treasures were discovered in the XIX-XX centuries. European archaeologists explored the territories of ancient civilizations in Egypt, India, South America.
The most impressive treasure (we already know what it is) was found in 2011 in India. It is assumed that it belonged to the rulers of Travancore, who for thousands of yearsstacked treasures in the temple. The find is estimated at 20 billion US dollars.
Another no less impressive treasure is the tomb of Tutankhamen. The entrance to it was discovered in 1922, but it was possible to enter inside only a year later. The finds have been preserved intact. They consisted of works of art, precious jewelry, a solid gold sarcophagus that contained the body of the pharaoh, and much more. Today, the entrance to the tomb is closed to tourists due to changes in the outer layer of its walls.
The Treasure of Priam is a classic buried treasure. They were discovered by Heinrich Schliemann in 1873 during the 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
Besides land, many treasures lie at the bottom of the seas and oceans. With the spread 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, who are also treasures.
Ships that sank, there are still a great many on the seabed. Finding them is much more difficult, as the current constantly shifts them from the crash sites. Complicates the task and the cost of the expedition on the seabed.
Nevertheless, the following ships were found with treasures on board:
- Spanish frigate sunk in 1804. Its discovery by an American company is consideredthe most valuable in history among underwater treasures. On board in 2007, tons of gold and silver were found in Spanish coins. The shipment had to be returned to the Spanish government in 2012.
- Treasures of the galleon "Atocha" (Spain), which were discovered in 1985 by Mel Fisher. Hundreds of gold and more than a thousand silver bars, jewelry, weapons of the 17th century were found.
- A load of 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 Elizabeth Petrovna: a collection of gold snuff boxes, a collection of watches made of gold and silver, Meissen porcelain, a carved gilded carriage. Today it is all in Finland.
