Hidden Treasure

Money and other valuables have been hidden for safekeeping since ancient times. Many hoards still lie untouched in their original hiding places.

Pirates who raided shipping in the waters off northeastern South America buried some of their booty on Caribbean islands, as well as along the Atlantic and Gulf coasts of North America. These buried treasures inspired hundreds of tales and led to many unsuccessful treasure hunts.

Before banks came into wide use in the 20th century, many people kept their savings hidden at home. Favorite hiding places were in attics, inside walls, behind loose chimney bricks, under floorboards, and under fenceposts. In the western United States are caches hidden by outlaws who robbed banks, stagecoaches, and trains. Some abandoned mining shacks probably conceal bags of gold dust hidden by prospectors.

Hidden treasure is seldom found by following the directions to a spot marked by a cross on a faded map. Such treasure maps are usually fake or hopelessly vague. Less romantic but more useful are maps compiled from treasure reports, showing general locations where treasure has been reported lost or hidden.

Treasure hunters on land, as on sea, may spend months studying old books and other sources for treasure information. They may use instruments such as metal detectors to help them search likely places. However, most hidden treasure is found accidentally in the course of activities such as demolishing buildings and digging excavations.