The world atlas of treasure

Summary: Few can be so dead the the romance of histroy that the promise of hidden treasure does not cause them a thrill of excitement. The unbelievable magnificance buried in the tomb of Tutankhamen; anciet Celtic ewers unearthed by a ploughman's blade in Yorkshire; the loot of the Nazis beneath the tranquil surface of an Austrian lake; the gold of Assyria; Spanish galleons mouldering off the British coast with a rich cargo of jewels and precious metals; the pirates' hoard hurriedly concealed beneath the sands of Hispaniola - this is the stuff of fiction and yet exists too in sober reality. In the 'World Atlas of Treasure' Derek Wilson investigates the legends of old and new; sifts fantasy from fact; tells the story of the great dsicoveries of the past; describes the wealth that is still to be found, the mountains of gold, jewels and precious artefacts which have disappeared over the centuries and which still lurk unsuspected, awaiting the lucky finder. People have sacrificed home and family, have killed and tortured, to lay their hands on the lost riches of the past. They will do so again. This book is a history of man's cupidity; it is a fascinating guide for the armchair treasure-hunter; it is a splendidly illustrated, vivicly written and meticulously researched account of a subject that is as old as time and as far flung as humanity.

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