Humans have lost many treasures throughout history. While some have been forgotten, others are still being sought after because of their uniqueness and importance. The origins of some have not been verified, and no one knows if the treasures were indeed real, but they have continued to inspire lifelong hunts that sometimes lead to deaths.
From the Ark of the Covenant to the Tomb of Quin Shi Huang, here are a handful of famous treasures around the world that still have not been found — and their suspected locations.
For more amazing adventures, discover the lost cities that have not been found, as well as the once-lost cities that have been rediscovered.
10 The Lost Crown Jewels Of England
Close-up view of a crown
King John lost the crown Jewels of England and some other jewels in the muddy waters of a water body known as the Wash while fleeing from his enemies in 1216. The actual place where it is said to have occurred is in the River Nene, and many believe the jewels may never be found.
If they are eventually found, however, it will do nothing to venerate the image of King John, who was particularly disliked during his reign.
- Location: The Wash Estuary, Eastern England
Related: Lost Islands From Welsh Mythology May Have Been Real According To New Evidence
9 The Lost Dutchman Gold Mine
Superstition mountains in Airizona
The Lost Dutchman’s Gold Mine is unique on the list of lost treasures that have never been found; it's a mine believed to have been hidden in the Superstition Mountain range in Arizona. The mine is believed to contain an immense wealth of gold and was either discovered by a Dutchman named Jacob Waltz or revealed to him by a local family after he helped one of their members.
The story continues that while on his way to or from the gold mine, Waltzs was attacked by Apaches. While wounded, he revealed the location of the mine to a woman named Julia Thomas, but neither she nor treasure hunters have been able to find the gold mine to date.
It is said that every year thousands of people venture into this part of Arizona to seek the treasure, and some even lose their lives in the process.
- Suspected Location: Superstition Mountains, Lost Dutchman State Park, Arizona
Gold lovers can go treasure hunting at places in the US where gold may still be found.
8 The Lost Inca Gold
An image of glittering gold
After many years of attacking the Inca Empire, the Spanish eventually defeated them and captured their king, who pleaded for his release in exchange for a huge amount of gold. The Spanish had initially agreed, but they went ahead and killed the king before the last part of the gold arrived.
Seeing that their king was already killed, the Inca general who had been in charge of gathering the gold hid it deep in the forest, where it would never be found by anybody. Today, people still attempt to find the lost Inca gold, but none have succeeded.
The gold is believed to be somewhere in the Llanganates Mountains in modern-day Ecuador, and the actual location has been left for treasure hunters to find. Even today, the Inca gold remains one of the many lost treasures that still haven't been found.
- Location: Llanganates Mountain, Ecuador
7 The Holy Grail
A cup and bread on a cloth
The Holy Grail is considered one of the greatest treasures in Christianity. It is said to be the cup that Jesus drank from at the Last Supper and also the cup used by Joseph of Arimathea to collect the blood of Jesus. Such a cup is sure to be special, which is why humans have not stopped looking for it since the legend first originated.
No one knows for sure if this grail actually existed or its actual location, but the legend is strong, and many have named places where the cup is supposedly located. It is said that the grail had miraculous powers and could heal any wound and also grant immortality. These divine attributes, therefore, made it popular across the world and made the searches even more intense.
As for the location, some say the Knights Templer had it in their possession and hid it somewhere unknown. In fact, there are now several cups claiming to be the original Holy Grail in different locations around the world, and each comes with a convincing story as to how the Grail got there.
Some parts of the world where the Holy Grail is believed to be located include:
- The Valencia Cathedral in Spain
- Santa Maria de Montserrat Catalona, Spain
- Sinai House Park, Burton-on-Trent, England
6 The Knights Templar Treasure
A silver chest beside golden treasures
The Holy Grail, the Ark of the Covenant, massive amounts of gold, and more great treasures are believed to be parts of the treasures hidden by the Knights Templar, never to be seen again by anyone.
For hundreds of years, this legend has sat on the top of the minds of people, treasure hunters, historians, and normal people alike. And that’s because the wealth is just too enormous to forget. If it indeed existed, only the Knights knew where it was, and after their downfall, people were left to guess and spend generations trying to find these lost treasures of the world that have never been found.
Some locations around the world where these famous lost treasures are believed to be hidden include:
- Rosslyn Chapel in Scotland
- Oak Island in Nova Scotia, Canada
- Acre, Israel
5 Cleopatra’s Tomb
Pattern from Pompey's Pillar in Alexandria, Egypt
Cleopatra is one of the most popular figures in history who was the last queen of Ptolemaic Egypt. She died in 30 BC, and her tomb is a famous lost treasure that has never been found; it has been the subject of many fruitless searches for many years.
Cleopatra's tomb is believed to be in Egypt, near the city of Alexandria. With the location narrowed down to this part of Egypt, it may not take long before the queen's tomb is discovered.
- Possible Location: Alexandria
Related: Visiting Alexandria: What To See At The Famed Home Of Cleopatra
4 The Tomb Of Qin Shi Huang
Terracotta army at the entrance of the tomb of Qin Shi Huang in China
The Tomb of Qin Shi Huang is one of the lost tombs of the world; it was the tomb of the first Chinese emperor that has remained hidden from the rest of the world for more than 2,000 years. The actual location of the tomb has been discovered, and it is said to be in the city of Xi’an, but no one has ever been able to go inside to explore the tomb since it was discovered in 1974.
It is said that a large Terracotta Army serves as a garrison to the tomb, and they are yet to even be excavated. It is believed that the clay soldiers are so many (about 8,000) that it could take decades and possibly centuries to excavate before archaeologists eventually discover the central tomb.
According to ancient writings, the emperor made sure an entire underground kingdom was created to build his tomb, and it took about 39 years to complete it. It is said that the tomb is a place of booby traps and so many other kinds of dangers that make excavating it a hazardous mission.
- Location: Lintong District, Xi’an, Shaanxi Province, China
3 The Golden Owl
A sculpture of a goldenflying owl
The Golden Owl is the youngest treasure on the list, as it first came into the limelight in 1993. Although not actually lost, the treasure was buried by a man named Max Valentin in a place in France, and he went on to publish a book, which contains 11 riddles that must be solved in order to discover the location of the treasure.
Anyone who finds the owl is promised a prize equal to 1 million francs (€150,000, or £126,000 - just short of $167,000). So far, no one has discovered the treasure. It’s been more than 30 years now, and people are worried even the man who buried the treasure might forget its location as he grows older or may die with his secret.
- Location: France
Visit the Golden Owl website for more information on how to join the Golden Owl treasure hunt.
2 Nazi Gold
Bars of gold
A story has it that during the Second World War, the Nazis looted massive amounts of gold, artifacts, and other valuable treasures as they conquered territories. Towards their defeat, they are said to have hidden this gold and treasures in places where no one would ever find them.
Today, the story still tickles the ears of treasure hunters from all over the world who still believe massive amounts of these treasures are out there waiting to be discovered. Some recent discoveries have even made the hunt for lost Nazi gold even more appealing.
In 1945, the US Army discovered hoards of Nazi gold and other stolen treasures in Merkers salt mine, and that’s not all. Nazi gold has been discovered in several other places around Europe.
Legend even has it that the Nazis dumped billions of dollars worth of gold into Lake Toplitz to prevent the wealth from being taken by enemy forces.
- Suspected Locations: Germany, Portugal, and Lake Toplitz in Western Austria
Related: This Long-Lost Roman Fort (Recently Rediscovered) Is One Of Several To Be Found In Scotland
1 The Ark Of The Covenant
An image of the Ark of the covenant
The Ark of the Covenant is the most famous of all the lost treasures around the world that are still not found. According to the Book of Exodus in the Hebrew Bible, this was a chest covered in pure gold and had a cover where two cherubim statues stood. Inside the ark were the two stone tablets of the Ten Commandments, written by the fingers of God and handed over to Moses.
The ark was a highly important treasure for the Israelites and was at the forefront of the people whenever they marched, and it was eventually kept in a grand temple built by King Solomon (who had mines in Timna Valley in Israel).
Throughout the known history of the ark, it was only captured twice - first by the Philistines, after which it was returned to Israel, and then by the Babylonians under the rulership of King Nebuchadnezzar II. In 587 BC, King Nebuchadnezzar II attacked and destroyed Jerusalem and probably took the Ark of the Covenant as a spoil of war to Babylon.
It was around this time that the ark became lost. It’s been over 2,500 years now, and the ark has still not been found. Some claim that Nebuchadnezzar did not take the ark to Babylon, but rather it had already been hidden by Jeremiah in a cave in a mountain and sealed up. The mountain is said to be Mount Nebo - the mountain from where Moses saw the promised land.
There have also been other accounts of the whereabouts of the ark. The Church of Our Lady Mary of Zion - an Ethiopian Orthodox Tewahedo Church in Axum, Ethiopia - claims to have it in its possession, but only the guardian monk is allowed to access it. There are also claims that the Ark of the Covenant is in a place in modern-day Rome, Ireland, and Zimbabwe.
Suspected Locations of the Ark of the Covenant include:
- Inside a sealed cave in Mount Nebo - Mount Nebo is located in modern-day Jordan 10 km from the city of Madaba
- The Church of Our Lady Mary of Zion in Axum, Ethiopia
- Dumghe Mountains, Zimbabwe
