1 00:00:01,917 --> 00:00:03,958 (mystical music) 2 00:00:04,625 --> 00:00:09,625 - Tonight, sacred treasures imbued with mysterious powers, 3 00:00:09,625 --> 00:00:12,167 some worth billions of dollars, 4 00:00:12,167 --> 00:00:14,375 all waiting to be discovered. 5 00:00:15,375 --> 00:00:17,917 - This treasure confers power and wealth 6 00:00:17,917 --> 00:00:19,500 on whoever controls it. 7 00:00:19,500 --> 00:00:23,208 - [Dennis Quaid] From a lost hoard marked on a biblical map. 8 00:00:23,208 --> 00:00:24,542 - Added up together, 9 00:00:24,542 --> 00:00:27,000 the riches described in the Copper Scroll 10 00:00:27,000 --> 00:00:30,875 would be worth about $3 billion today. 11 00:00:30,875 --> 00:00:33,333 - To the vast fortune of a rich king. 12 00:00:33,333 --> 00:00:35,958 - For centuries, people have been searching 13 00:00:35,958 --> 00:00:39,042 for the legendary King Solomon's mines. 14 00:00:39,042 --> 00:00:42,167 - [Dennis] Or even a magical gem. 15 00:00:42,167 --> 00:00:45,167 - It's such a powerful and prestigious gem, 16 00:00:45,167 --> 00:00:48,042 that Queen Victoria wants it for herself. 17 00:00:48,042 --> 00:00:53,000 - These holy relics stir reverence and greed. 18 00:00:53,000 --> 00:00:55,042 - It only brings gold and good fortune 19 00:00:55,042 --> 00:00:57,083 to those who are pure of heart, 20 00:00:57,083 --> 00:00:59,792 but a vain and power-hungry man 21 00:00:59,792 --> 00:01:02,167 may suffer terrible consequences. 22 00:01:03,208 --> 00:01:05,250 - Sacred objects that have inspired awe 23 00:01:05,250 --> 00:01:07,458 for thousands of years, 24 00:01:07,458 --> 00:01:11,042 now the remarkable stories behind history's 25 00:01:11,042 --> 00:01:14,042 most compelling "Holy Marvels." 26 00:01:14,042 --> 00:01:17,042 (dramatic music) 27 00:01:26,875 --> 00:01:28,625 - [Dennis] Amman, Jordan. 28 00:01:28,625 --> 00:01:32,583 One museum here houses a mysterious artifact. 29 00:01:32,583 --> 00:01:37,208 Though antiquities experts refer to it as 3Q15, 30 00:01:37,208 --> 00:01:41,625 it's more commonly known as the Copper Scroll. 31 00:01:41,625 --> 00:01:43,250 (tense music) 32 00:01:43,250 --> 00:01:46,708 - The Copper Scroll is one of the famous Dead Sea scrolls, 33 00:01:46,708 --> 00:01:49,042 which is this unbelievable 34 00:01:49,042 --> 00:01:50,250 and extraordinary collection of text 35 00:01:50,250 --> 00:01:52,375 discovered in Qumran, Israel, 36 00:01:52,375 --> 00:01:54,333 near the West Bank city of Jericho. 37 00:01:55,625 --> 00:01:59,375 - Most of the Dead Sea scrolls are found in 1947. 38 00:01:59,375 --> 00:02:02,375 It's one of the greatest archeological finds ever. 39 00:02:02,375 --> 00:02:05,667 15,000 fragments of ancient texts 40 00:02:05,667 --> 00:02:08,917 dating from between the third century BC 41 00:02:08,917 --> 00:02:11,458 and the second century AD. 42 00:02:11,458 --> 00:02:16,167 - A lot of them are copies of scripture or religious texts, 43 00:02:16,167 --> 00:02:19,500 including some of the oldest manuscripts ever found 44 00:02:19,500 --> 00:02:22,667 of the books of the Old Testament, or the Hebrew Bible. 45 00:02:22,667 --> 00:02:24,375 (tense music) 46 00:02:24,375 --> 00:02:25,542 - [Dennis] But the Copper Scroll 47 00:02:25,542 --> 00:02:28,500 isn't found until March of 1952. 48 00:02:30,042 --> 00:02:32,500 - French archeologist Henri de Contenson 49 00:02:32,500 --> 00:02:35,125 is searching a partially collapsed cave, 50 00:02:35,125 --> 00:02:37,333 looking for more Dead Sea scrolls. 51 00:02:37,333 --> 00:02:39,542 But instead, he sees an object 52 00:02:39,542 --> 00:02:42,792 that appears to be made of heavily oxidized metal. 53 00:02:44,250 --> 00:02:46,833 - Copper was very precious in the ancient world, 54 00:02:46,833 --> 00:02:49,917 so just the fact that this scroll is written into copper 55 00:02:49,917 --> 00:02:52,333 means it was very expensive to make, 56 00:02:52,333 --> 00:02:54,625 and therefore quite important to whoever made it. 57 00:02:55,542 --> 00:02:57,375 - [Dennis] Immediately, researchers are eager 58 00:02:57,375 --> 00:03:00,042 to find out what it says. 59 00:03:00,042 --> 00:03:01,750 - At first, most of it couldn't be read 60 00:03:01,750 --> 00:03:04,875 because the two pieces of the scroll are rolled up. 61 00:03:04,875 --> 00:03:09,375 After oxidizing for centuries, it's extremely fragile 62 00:03:09,375 --> 00:03:12,708 and opening it would destroy the artifact. 63 00:03:12,708 --> 00:03:15,292 - But the writing we can read on the edges 64 00:03:15,292 --> 00:03:17,125 is very compelling 65 00:03:17,125 --> 00:03:19,833 and very different from the other scrolls. 66 00:03:19,833 --> 00:03:22,375 It's not Bible verses. 67 00:03:22,375 --> 00:03:26,208 - [Dennis] Instead, it appears to be a treasure map. 68 00:03:26,208 --> 00:03:27,708 (tense music) 69 00:03:27,708 --> 00:03:31,167 - There are mentions of gold and silver, 70 00:03:31,167 --> 00:03:33,917 so now, of course, everyone's dying to find out 71 00:03:33,917 --> 00:03:36,458 what's inside the scroll, even more so than before. 72 00:03:36,458 --> 00:03:38,708 They call in a British archeologist 73 00:03:38,708 --> 00:03:42,375 and Dead Sea scrolls expert named John Marco Allegro, 74 00:03:42,375 --> 00:03:45,917 and he suggests they cut the scroll into sections. 75 00:03:47,250 --> 00:03:49,875 - [Dennis] In 1955, the Jordanian government 76 00:03:49,875 --> 00:03:51,333 sends the Copper Scroll 77 00:03:51,333 --> 00:03:54,792 to the Manchester College of Science and Technology 78 00:03:54,792 --> 00:03:56,333 for careful dissection. 79 00:03:57,708 --> 00:04:00,458 - There, the scroll is painstakingly cut 80 00:04:00,458 --> 00:04:03,208 into 23 narrow strips. 81 00:04:03,208 --> 00:04:06,333 Then it's laid out and for the first time, 82 00:04:06,333 --> 00:04:09,667 the scroll's full contents can be seen. 83 00:04:10,917 --> 00:04:13,250 - [Dennis] The sheer scale of the treasure detailed 84 00:04:13,250 --> 00:04:15,500 is beyond what anyone imagined. 85 00:04:16,500 --> 00:04:18,542 - Hidden treasures of gold and silver 86 00:04:18,542 --> 00:04:21,542 buried in more than 60 secret locations 87 00:04:21,542 --> 00:04:25,333 are methodically described in entry after entry. 88 00:04:25,333 --> 00:04:27,583 - [Dennis] Once all the text is translated, 89 00:04:27,583 --> 00:04:30,042 scholars estimate the total value 90 00:04:30,042 --> 00:04:34,750 is about 170 tons of gold and silver. 91 00:04:34,750 --> 00:04:35,833 - Added up together, 92 00:04:35,833 --> 00:04:38,333 the riches described in the Copper Scroll 93 00:04:38,333 --> 00:04:42,250 would be worth about $3 billion today. 94 00:04:42,250 --> 00:04:44,500 Billion with a B. 95 00:04:44,500 --> 00:04:46,542 Potentially making it the largest stash 96 00:04:46,542 --> 00:04:49,833 of buried treasure ever, in history. 97 00:04:51,167 --> 00:04:53,208 - [Dennis] If this treasure really exists, 98 00:04:53,208 --> 00:04:55,375 where could it come from? 99 00:04:55,375 --> 00:04:58,042 - The Copper Scroll leaves a few clues 100 00:04:58,042 --> 00:04:59,292 to the treasure's origin. 101 00:04:59,292 --> 00:05:00,792 Tithes are mentioned, 102 00:05:00,792 --> 00:05:04,000 as are priestly vestments and sacrificial bowls. 103 00:05:04,000 --> 00:05:06,542 And the scroll is written in the Mishnaic Hebrew language, 104 00:05:06,542 --> 00:05:10,708 this suggests that the treasures are religious in nature 105 00:05:10,708 --> 00:05:14,708 and perhaps from a Jewish temple, or multiple temples. 106 00:05:14,708 --> 00:05:17,458 - [Dennis] For more answers, experts look near Qumran, 107 00:05:17,458 --> 00:05:20,208 where the Copper Scroll was found. 108 00:05:20,208 --> 00:05:22,875 - About 15 miles away is Jerusalem, 109 00:05:22,875 --> 00:05:25,833 and that city had the biggest, fanciest, 110 00:05:25,833 --> 00:05:28,375 wealthiest building in the region that we know of, 111 00:05:28,375 --> 00:05:30,208 the first Jewish temple. 112 00:05:30,208 --> 00:05:32,083 In the Bible, it's described as a large 113 00:05:32,083 --> 00:05:33,625 and glorious structure, 114 00:05:33,625 --> 00:05:35,708 originally built on the Temple Mount 115 00:05:35,708 --> 00:05:39,750 by the very wealthy King Solomon in the 10th century BC. 116 00:05:39,750 --> 00:05:41,708 - It's the sacred gathering place, 117 00:05:41,708 --> 00:05:45,417 and really is a symbol of prosperity for centuries. 118 00:05:45,417 --> 00:05:46,917 The temple collects taxes 119 00:05:46,917 --> 00:05:49,958 and receives all sorts of offerings from the faithful. 120 00:05:51,500 --> 00:05:52,958 - [Dennis] But this temple is destroyed 121 00:05:52,958 --> 00:05:55,833 by the Babylonians in 587 BC. 122 00:05:57,542 --> 00:06:00,875 - Most of what was in there still remains unaccounted for, 123 00:06:00,875 --> 00:06:03,417 unless, of course, it's accounted for 124 00:06:03,417 --> 00:06:06,083 in the Copper Scroll. 125 00:06:06,083 --> 00:06:07,583 - There are some people who believe 126 00:06:07,583 --> 00:06:10,250 that everything of value in the temple 127 00:06:10,250 --> 00:06:12,292 was taken and hidden away, 128 00:06:12,292 --> 00:06:15,125 and the Copper Scroll is created to document 129 00:06:15,125 --> 00:06:17,625 the hiding places so that one day, 130 00:06:17,625 --> 00:06:20,750 it can all be recovered to help build the temple. 131 00:06:20,750 --> 00:06:23,000 - [Dennis] According to the Bible's Book of Ezra, 132 00:06:23,000 --> 00:06:26,125 when the Jews are released from captivity in Babylon, 133 00:06:26,125 --> 00:06:31,000 they return to Jerusalem with basins of gold and silver, 134 00:06:31,000 --> 00:06:33,500 and they need somewhere to safeguard it. 135 00:06:34,250 --> 00:06:39,417 - In 516 BC, in the same spot where the First Temple stood, 136 00:06:39,417 --> 00:06:41,708 they start building a Second Temple. 137 00:06:42,708 --> 00:06:44,125 - As with the First Temple, 138 00:06:44,125 --> 00:06:46,042 the Second Temple's treasury 139 00:06:46,042 --> 00:06:48,875 accumulates a vast amount of gold and silver 140 00:06:48,875 --> 00:06:52,375 from local worshipers and pilgrims. 141 00:06:52,375 --> 00:06:54,625 To keep the treasure and his people safe, 142 00:06:54,625 --> 00:06:57,250 King Herod restructures and fortifies 143 00:06:57,250 --> 00:06:59,958 the temple complex in 37 BC. 144 00:07:00,833 --> 00:07:05,208 - [Dennis] But in 70 AD, this temple is also destroyed. 145 00:07:05,208 --> 00:07:06,792 This time, by the Romans. 146 00:07:08,042 --> 00:07:11,417 - Once again, a whole bunch of treasures are lost, 147 00:07:11,417 --> 00:07:13,750 or maybe hidden instead. 148 00:07:14,542 --> 00:07:16,875 - This timeframe of 70 AD 149 00:07:16,875 --> 00:07:19,333 is very close to when experts believe 150 00:07:19,333 --> 00:07:21,208 the Copper Scroll was created 151 00:07:21,208 --> 00:07:23,125 and placed in the cave in Qumran. 152 00:07:24,167 --> 00:07:25,542 - There's even a chance 153 00:07:25,542 --> 00:07:27,708 that the Copper Scroll lists treasures from both 154 00:07:27,708 --> 00:07:29,875 the first and the Second Temples, 155 00:07:29,875 --> 00:07:32,542 since neither has ever been found. 156 00:07:32,542 --> 00:07:34,625 - While the scroll is very specific 157 00:07:34,625 --> 00:07:36,833 about the treasures themselves, 158 00:07:36,833 --> 00:07:40,042 it is intentionally vague about the locations. 159 00:07:40,042 --> 00:07:44,125 Basically, whoever wrote this thing has encoded it. 160 00:07:44,375 --> 00:07:47,083 - Albert Wolters, a professor of religion 161 00:07:47,083 --> 00:07:49,000 at Redeemer University College, 162 00:07:49,000 --> 00:07:51,458 suggests probably a high ranking priest 163 00:07:51,458 --> 00:07:52,750 was sitting there thinking, 164 00:07:52,750 --> 00:07:54,542 "How can I prevent this treasure 165 00:07:54,542 --> 00:07:57,375 from falling into the hands of the Romans?" 166 00:07:57,375 --> 00:08:00,000 - Wolters believes that a plan is devised 167 00:08:00,000 --> 00:08:02,583 to find hiding places on the outskirts of Jerusalem 168 00:08:02,583 --> 00:08:04,042 and the Judean desert, 169 00:08:04,042 --> 00:08:07,625 and this plan would've involved multiple people. 170 00:08:07,625 --> 00:08:09,708 - First, the masterminds of this plan 171 00:08:09,708 --> 00:08:12,083 identify the hiding spots, 172 00:08:12,083 --> 00:08:14,625 then a priest would've written the sights down 173 00:08:14,625 --> 00:08:16,417 on a piece of parchment. 174 00:08:16,417 --> 00:08:19,375 But the way he writes them is very careful, 175 00:08:19,375 --> 00:08:22,125 things like, "In the burial monument 176 00:08:22,125 --> 00:08:24,667 on the third course of stones." 177 00:08:24,667 --> 00:08:26,667 You wouldn't be able to identify where that is 178 00:08:26,667 --> 00:08:27,917 unless you're really familiar 179 00:08:27,917 --> 00:08:30,542 with the location he's referring to. 180 00:08:30,542 --> 00:08:31,917 - He makes it even more obscure 181 00:08:31,917 --> 00:08:34,875 by writing in an uncommon style of Hebrew, 182 00:08:34,875 --> 00:08:38,000 and he mixes in short groups of Greek letters occasionally. 183 00:08:39,708 --> 00:08:42,167 - [Dennis] To ensure the locations remain secret, 184 00:08:42,167 --> 00:08:45,917 the original authors hire an illiterate metal worker 185 00:08:45,917 --> 00:08:48,500 to copy the instructions onto copper. 186 00:08:49,583 --> 00:08:52,250 - Certain letters get confused graphically 187 00:08:52,250 --> 00:08:53,917 because they have similar shapes, 188 00:08:53,917 --> 00:08:55,500 and these are the sorts of mistakes 189 00:08:55,500 --> 00:08:58,167 that a literate scribe would never make. 190 00:08:58,167 --> 00:09:00,625 - [Dennis] Experts spend nearly a decade 191 00:09:00,625 --> 00:09:03,125 trying to unravel the mystery, 192 00:09:03,125 --> 00:09:06,250 until one of them announces a breakthrough. 193 00:09:10,833 --> 00:09:14,667 - [Dennis] Since the discovery of the Copper Scroll in 1952, 194 00:09:14,667 --> 00:09:18,625 scholars have worked around the clock to crack its code. 195 00:09:18,625 --> 00:09:20,000 Eight years later, 196 00:09:20,000 --> 00:09:23,875 one man believes he's finally unlocked it. 197 00:09:23,875 --> 00:09:26,708 - John Marco Allegro from the original research team 198 00:09:26,708 --> 00:09:28,875 assigned to the Copper Scroll, 199 00:09:28,875 --> 00:09:31,875 becomes fascinated by the buried treasure. 200 00:09:31,875 --> 00:09:34,792 - After intensely studying the Copper Scroll, 201 00:09:34,792 --> 00:09:36,917 and as many ancient maps on the region 202 00:09:36,917 --> 00:09:38,875 that he can get his hands on, 203 00:09:38,875 --> 00:09:41,208 Allegro believes he has finally figured out 204 00:09:41,208 --> 00:09:44,083 some of the locations the scroll is talking about, 205 00:09:44,083 --> 00:09:48,042 so he mounts an expedition to search for the treasure. 206 00:09:49,542 --> 00:09:52,750 - Biblical archeology is notoriously tough. 207 00:09:52,750 --> 00:09:55,875 Matching ancient places to current locations 208 00:09:55,875 --> 00:09:58,083 is incredibly challenging. 209 00:09:58,083 --> 00:10:01,208 Sites have been renamed, sands have shifted, 210 00:10:01,208 --> 00:10:04,042 towns and villages that were well-known in their day 211 00:10:04,042 --> 00:10:05,958 have now vanished. 212 00:10:05,958 --> 00:10:09,708 - [Dennis] In 1960, Allegro arrives in Jordan. 213 00:10:11,333 --> 00:10:13,125 - With more than 60 sites 214 00:10:13,125 --> 00:10:15,042 and treasures described in the scroll, 215 00:10:15,042 --> 00:10:17,917 Allegro can't possibly search for all of them, 216 00:10:17,917 --> 00:10:20,917 so he focuses on three main sites, 217 00:10:20,917 --> 00:10:23,375 the Tomb of Zadok in Jerusalem, 218 00:10:23,375 --> 00:10:27,792 Khirbet-el-Mird in the veil of Achor, and Qumran. 219 00:10:27,792 --> 00:10:30,875 - The expedition begins at the Tomb of Zadok, 220 00:10:30,875 --> 00:10:33,167 which is one of three ancient sepulchres 221 00:10:33,167 --> 00:10:36,375 that stand together outside the walls of Jerusalem. 222 00:10:36,375 --> 00:10:38,958 It's partly buried in dirt and rain 223 00:10:38,958 --> 00:10:41,750 that has kinda washed down from the Mount of Olives. 224 00:10:42,792 --> 00:10:44,208 - [Dennis] According to the scroll, 225 00:10:44,208 --> 00:10:46,792 some of the treasure is hidden beneath a sitting area 226 00:10:46,792 --> 00:10:49,458 at the edge of a garden near the tomb. 227 00:10:50,417 --> 00:10:53,875 - Scraping the soil away, excavators find a hidden wall, 228 00:10:53,875 --> 00:10:57,208 and a groove that might be an irrigation ditch, 229 00:10:57,208 --> 00:10:58,583 and they get all excited, 230 00:10:58,583 --> 00:11:01,625 thinking perhaps this is the garden mentioned in the scroll. 231 00:11:02,625 --> 00:11:03,958 - So now they're encouraged, 232 00:11:03,958 --> 00:11:06,917 so the team next looks for the sitting area, 233 00:11:06,917 --> 00:11:10,625 and they look for any kind of benches or niche, 234 00:11:10,625 --> 00:11:12,542 but they come up empty handed. 235 00:11:12,542 --> 00:11:14,375 - [Dennis] With no luck after several weeks, 236 00:11:14,375 --> 00:11:19,042 Allegro moves on to another possible site, Khirbet-el-Mird. 237 00:11:20,917 --> 00:11:24,250 - Mird is an ancient fortress in the Judean desert, 238 00:11:24,250 --> 00:11:26,958 believed to have been built by John Hyrcanus 239 00:11:26,958 --> 00:11:30,125 in the second or first century BC, 240 00:11:30,125 --> 00:11:32,417 and it's then rebuilt and expanded 241 00:11:32,417 --> 00:11:35,333 by King Herod after 37 BC. 242 00:11:36,375 --> 00:11:40,000 - There are two major clues that lead Allegro to the site. 243 00:11:40,000 --> 00:11:42,458 One is in the very first entry of the scroll. 244 00:11:42,458 --> 00:11:44,958 It's supposed to be in the fortress, 245 00:11:44,958 --> 00:11:48,208 which is in the veil or valley of Achor, 246 00:11:48,208 --> 00:11:52,167 40 qubits under the steps heading eastward. 247 00:11:52,167 --> 00:11:54,375 Well, this is definitely a fortress in a valley, 248 00:11:54,375 --> 00:11:56,958 and the timing of its construction seems to fit. 249 00:11:58,042 --> 00:12:00,083 - [Dennis] Two weeks into their dig, 250 00:12:00,083 --> 00:12:03,958 the team uncovers a flight of steps leading eastward, 251 00:12:03,958 --> 00:12:06,042 down into the rock. 252 00:12:06,042 --> 00:12:08,458 - It's basically an ancient well. 253 00:12:08,458 --> 00:12:12,208 One of the team members is lowered on a rope into the well 254 00:12:12,208 --> 00:12:16,042 and they use a metal detector along the walls and floor, 255 00:12:16,042 --> 00:12:18,083 and there's still no sign of any treasure. 256 00:12:18,083 --> 00:12:20,167 - They discover that the site 257 00:12:20,167 --> 00:12:22,625 has actually been ransacked by vandals. 258 00:12:22,625 --> 00:12:24,833 Marble pillars are scattered on the ground, 259 00:12:24,833 --> 00:12:27,750 the mosaic floor has been hacked up to pieces. 260 00:12:27,750 --> 00:12:30,500 In the end, they do find some amazing things, 261 00:12:30,500 --> 00:12:33,875 a lot of Roman pottery, cisterns and passageways, 262 00:12:33,875 --> 00:12:37,125 but zero gold, zero silver. 263 00:12:38,042 --> 00:12:40,167 - [Dennis] Allegro's final dig 264 00:12:40,167 --> 00:12:44,167 is in the area where the scroll was found, Qumran. 265 00:12:44,167 --> 00:12:46,875 - In this area, he actually hears a local legend 266 00:12:46,875 --> 00:12:49,833 that dates back to the year 1900. 267 00:12:49,833 --> 00:12:52,375 At that time, girls from a nearby convent school 268 00:12:52,375 --> 00:12:55,625 are taken on an outing to a monument here. 269 00:12:55,625 --> 00:12:57,958 One girl climbs through a hole 270 00:12:57,958 --> 00:13:02,125 and comes out with her pinafore full of gold coins. 271 00:13:02,125 --> 00:13:05,208 - In the area where the girl's story supposedly takes place, 272 00:13:05,208 --> 00:13:08,417 he does dig up an ancient cistern. 273 00:13:08,417 --> 00:13:11,917 And in another location nearby, he finds a sealed cave 274 00:13:11,917 --> 00:13:13,875 which has been sealed up for a long time. 275 00:13:13,875 --> 00:13:17,042 It seems to date back about 2,000 years. 276 00:13:17,042 --> 00:13:19,875 Inside, there are human remains. 277 00:13:19,875 --> 00:13:21,792 Now these are important archeological finds, 278 00:13:21,792 --> 00:13:24,167 but they're not a large pile of gold. 279 00:13:25,708 --> 00:13:29,042 - [Dennis] Not surprisingly, John Allegro isn't the only one 280 00:13:29,042 --> 00:13:31,958 scouring the desert for this treasure. 281 00:13:31,958 --> 00:13:35,292 - In 1967, Vendyl Jones, a Baptist minister 282 00:13:35,292 --> 00:13:37,875 turned amateur archeologist from Texas, 283 00:13:37,875 --> 00:13:39,875 moves his family to Israel 284 00:13:39,875 --> 00:13:42,708 and begins searching for the Copper Scroll treasures. 285 00:13:42,708 --> 00:13:44,583 - [Dennis] 20 years into his hunt, 286 00:13:44,583 --> 00:13:46,708 Jones finds compelling evidence 287 00:13:46,708 --> 00:13:48,583 that he might be on the right track. 288 00:13:48,583 --> 00:13:51,542 - This is one of the bilateral walls. 289 00:13:51,542 --> 00:13:56,458 - Jones and his team unearth a small first century jug 290 00:13:56,458 --> 00:13:58,208 wrapped in palm leaves, 291 00:13:58,208 --> 00:14:00,625 which is speculated to hold the oil used 292 00:14:00,625 --> 00:14:04,042 to anoint priests and kings in ancient Jerusalem. 293 00:14:04,042 --> 00:14:08,333 - Then in 1992, Jones finds more than 600 pounds 294 00:14:08,333 --> 00:14:12,083 of this unique reddish powder in a cave. 295 00:14:12,083 --> 00:14:13,875 So, he has this powder analyzed 296 00:14:13,875 --> 00:14:17,208 and it shows that the powder contains ingredients 297 00:14:17,208 --> 00:14:20,250 for the incense which was used during rituals 298 00:14:20,250 --> 00:14:23,083 of the Second Temple, which would make it 299 00:14:23,083 --> 00:14:25,542 more than 2,000 years old. 300 00:14:25,542 --> 00:14:29,417 - These two finds may prove something incredible, 301 00:14:29,417 --> 00:14:32,042 that actual objects from the temple 302 00:14:32,042 --> 00:14:33,792 did in fact make their way to Qumran, 303 00:14:33,792 --> 00:14:35,458 and once they got here, 304 00:14:35,458 --> 00:14:36,875 they were hidden away for safekeeping, 305 00:14:36,875 --> 00:14:39,375 so maybe some of the treasure came along too. 306 00:14:40,708 --> 00:14:44,667 - [Dennis] Unfortunately, Jones never finds the motherload. 307 00:14:44,667 --> 00:14:46,167 - To this day, 308 00:14:46,167 --> 00:14:49,000 no one has discovered the Copper Scroll treasure, 309 00:14:49,000 --> 00:14:51,167 so it may still be out there. 310 00:14:51,167 --> 00:14:52,750 - Even though the Copper Scroll treasures 311 00:14:52,750 --> 00:14:55,167 are over 2,000 years old, 312 00:14:55,167 --> 00:14:58,375 we've only known about them since 1952. 313 00:14:58,375 --> 00:15:01,000 Treasure hunters haven't been searching for that long, 314 00:15:01,000 --> 00:15:02,208 meaning there's plenty of places 315 00:15:02,208 --> 00:15:04,042 that haven't been explored yet. 316 00:15:04,042 --> 00:15:06,708 It feels like the next new discovery 317 00:15:06,708 --> 00:15:08,542 could be right around the corner. 318 00:15:08,542 --> 00:15:11,375 It's an ancient mystery, but it's a new one too. 319 00:15:11,375 --> 00:15:17,000 (tense music) 320 00:15:17,000 --> 00:15:19,083 - The Copper Scroll has inspired treasure hunters 321 00:15:19,083 --> 00:15:21,875 ever since its discovery in 1952, 322 00:15:21,875 --> 00:15:24,500 but another holy fortune has been famously sought 323 00:15:24,500 --> 00:15:29,042 for much longer, over 2,000 years in fact. 324 00:15:29,042 --> 00:15:32,625 It belongs to one of the Bible's most well-known rulers, 325 00:15:32,625 --> 00:15:34,833 ancient Israel's King Solomon. 326 00:15:34,833 --> 00:15:36,958 (tense music) 327 00:15:36,958 --> 00:15:38,875 - Solomon is the son of David, 328 00:15:38,875 --> 00:15:41,958 the legendary king who in his youth, according to the Bible, 329 00:15:41,958 --> 00:15:43,875 kills the giant Goliath. 330 00:15:43,875 --> 00:15:46,250 Most historians believe he really existed 331 00:15:46,250 --> 00:15:50,208 and his reign probably begins around the year 970 BC. 332 00:15:50,208 --> 00:15:52,333 - He's known for many things in the Bible, 333 00:15:52,333 --> 00:15:55,417 including his writings and his wisdom, 334 00:15:55,417 --> 00:15:58,417 and he's said to rule over a unified kingdom 335 00:15:58,417 --> 00:15:59,792 of Israel and Judah, 336 00:15:59,792 --> 00:16:03,542 that runs all the way from the Euphrates River in the north 337 00:16:03,542 --> 00:16:05,167 to Egypt in the south. 338 00:16:06,375 --> 00:16:09,083 - He's also very, very rich, according to the Bible. 339 00:16:09,083 --> 00:16:10,917 In fact, in the book of 1 Kings, 340 00:16:10,917 --> 00:16:12,250 Solomon is described as 341 00:16:12,250 --> 00:16:15,875 the wealthiest king in existence who, quote, 342 00:16:15,875 --> 00:16:19,333 "surpasses all the kings of the earth in riches." 343 00:16:20,667 --> 00:16:24,042 - As a rich man, Solomon had a lot of nice things, 344 00:16:24,042 --> 00:16:27,542 which the biblical texts go over in great detail. 345 00:16:27,542 --> 00:16:32,167 - All of his drinking vessels and utensils are pure gold. 346 00:16:32,167 --> 00:16:34,708 There isn't any silver because it's, quote, 347 00:16:34,708 --> 00:16:38,042 "reckoned as nothing" in the time of Solomon. 348 00:16:38,042 --> 00:16:40,708 He's got what you might call his day's version 349 00:16:40,708 --> 00:16:43,375 of a fleet of fancy cars too. 350 00:16:43,375 --> 00:16:47,375 He's got 1,400 chariots and 12,000 horses. 351 00:16:47,375 --> 00:16:51,292 He has ships, a palace, numerous construction projects, 352 00:16:51,292 --> 00:16:55,167 and the most famous of which is the dazzling First Temple. 353 00:16:55,167 --> 00:16:58,208 - [Dennis] But where does all this wealth come from? 354 00:16:58,208 --> 00:16:59,750 - Back in Solomon's time, 355 00:16:59,750 --> 00:17:02,958 there weren't just piles of gold bars in circulation. 356 00:17:02,958 --> 00:17:06,542 If you had a lot of gold, you must have acquired it yourself 357 00:17:06,542 --> 00:17:09,917 by way of large scale mining operations, 358 00:17:09,917 --> 00:17:12,167 and because of this, for centuries, 359 00:17:12,167 --> 00:17:13,542 people have been searching 360 00:17:13,542 --> 00:17:16,542 for the legendary King Solomon's mines. 361 00:17:18,042 --> 00:17:19,750 - [Dennis] While the Bible doesn't reveal 362 00:17:19,750 --> 00:17:21,375 where the mines are, 363 00:17:21,375 --> 00:17:24,542 it does give us another important detail. 364 00:17:25,667 --> 00:17:27,625 - According to 1 Kings, quote, 365 00:17:27,625 --> 00:17:30,875 "The weight of gold which Solomon received each year 366 00:17:30,875 --> 00:17:34,375 was 666 talents." 367 00:17:34,375 --> 00:17:37,917 - That's the equivalent of roughly 25 tons of gold 368 00:17:37,917 --> 00:17:40,042 coming into his possession 369 00:17:40,042 --> 00:17:43,375 during every year of Solomon's 40 year reign. 370 00:17:43,375 --> 00:17:48,417 That would be 1,000 tons of gold. $65 billion or so. 371 00:17:49,458 --> 00:17:50,875 (dramatic music) 372 00:17:50,875 --> 00:17:53,833 - [Dennis] But searches in the area of Solomon's kingdom 373 00:17:53,833 --> 00:17:56,083 have turned up empty. 374 00:17:56,083 --> 00:17:58,833 - We know this area, we've studied the geology. 375 00:17:58,833 --> 00:18:02,417 If Solomon did have access to a mine full of gold, 376 00:18:02,417 --> 00:18:05,167 it has to be from beyond his borders. 377 00:18:06,292 --> 00:18:08,333 - There is one story in the scriptures 378 00:18:08,333 --> 00:18:10,208 that might give us a hint. 379 00:18:10,208 --> 00:18:12,958 In 1 Kings, Solomon is allied with Hiram, 380 00:18:12,958 --> 00:18:14,542 the Phoenician king of Tyre, 381 00:18:14,542 --> 00:18:18,083 and his, quote, "Fleet of ships are," quote, 382 00:18:18,083 --> 00:18:21,250 "at sea with the fleet of Hiram." 383 00:18:21,250 --> 00:18:24,125 - The Phoenicians are the great seafarers 384 00:18:24,125 --> 00:18:25,875 of the ancient world. 385 00:18:25,875 --> 00:18:27,667 They live on the Mediterranean coast, 386 00:18:27,667 --> 00:18:30,792 just north of modern Israel, in what is now Lebanon. 387 00:18:31,958 --> 00:18:33,708 - So the fleets are at sea together, 388 00:18:33,708 --> 00:18:36,500 and it's reported that once every three years, 389 00:18:36,500 --> 00:18:40,708 they return carrying gold, silver, and ivory, 390 00:18:40,708 --> 00:18:42,625 along with apes and baboons. 391 00:18:44,042 --> 00:18:46,750 - [Dennis] So where is this cargo coming from? 392 00:18:46,750 --> 00:18:49,542 - The passage says that Hiram sends his servants 393 00:18:49,542 --> 00:18:52,250 with the fleet to a place called Ophir, 394 00:18:52,250 --> 00:18:55,000 and they take 420 talents of gold 395 00:18:55,000 --> 00:18:57,750 and bring them to King Solomon. 396 00:18:57,750 --> 00:19:01,125 - [Dennis] Unfortunately, the exact location of Ophir 397 00:19:01,125 --> 00:19:02,667 has been lost to time. 398 00:19:02,667 --> 00:19:04,375 (dramatic music) 399 00:19:04,375 --> 00:19:07,042 - Based on another Bible story from Solomon's reign, 400 00:19:07,042 --> 00:19:09,083 a lot of people have speculated that Ophir 401 00:19:09,083 --> 00:19:11,625 is in modern day Ethiopia. 402 00:19:12,375 --> 00:19:13,958 - In the Book of Kings, 403 00:19:13,958 --> 00:19:17,167 the Queen of Sheba comes to pay her respects to Solomon 404 00:19:17,167 --> 00:19:19,542 and test his legendary wisdom. 405 00:19:19,542 --> 00:19:23,792 She brings with her 120 talents of gold. 406 00:19:23,792 --> 00:19:28,083 - The two become partners, some even say lovers, 407 00:19:28,083 --> 00:19:30,125 and their kingdoms remain united. 408 00:19:31,042 --> 00:19:32,375 - Some historians have speculated, 409 00:19:32,375 --> 00:19:36,042 here's a queen of a region with a lot of gold, 410 00:19:36,042 --> 00:19:37,875 she's close with Solomon, 411 00:19:37,875 --> 00:19:39,792 perhaps through trade agreements, 412 00:19:39,792 --> 00:19:41,792 she's the source of his gold. 413 00:19:42,750 --> 00:19:47,208 - Now, we're not 100% sure where her homeland is located, 414 00:19:47,208 --> 00:19:49,667 but Roman historian Josephus calls Sheba 415 00:19:49,667 --> 00:19:51,875 a Queen of Ethiopia. 416 00:19:51,875 --> 00:19:54,500 - And Ethiopia has gold. 417 00:19:54,500 --> 00:19:57,417 Even today, the country has large reserves of gold 418 00:19:57,417 --> 00:19:59,250 and precious metals. 419 00:19:59,250 --> 00:20:01,708 In Ethiopia's Northern Highlands, for instance, 420 00:20:01,708 --> 00:20:05,167 the gold seams lie really very close to the surface. 421 00:20:06,042 --> 00:20:07,750 - But Ethiopia is just one 422 00:20:07,750 --> 00:20:11,500 of dozens of proposed locations for Ophir. 423 00:20:11,500 --> 00:20:15,292 Other historians have placed it in the Indies, Ceylon, 424 00:20:15,292 --> 00:20:18,292 Southern Arabia, Armenia, all over the place. 425 00:20:18,292 --> 00:20:21,375 The problem is we really don't know 426 00:20:21,375 --> 00:20:23,542 because we haven't found any tablet or sign 427 00:20:23,542 --> 00:20:26,542 that just openly says, "Welcome to Ophir." 428 00:20:26,542 --> 00:20:27,875 - [Dennis] But this hasn't stopped 429 00:20:27,875 --> 00:20:30,458 some of the most famous explorers in history 430 00:20:30,458 --> 00:20:31,833 from trying to find it. 431 00:20:33,708 --> 00:20:35,875 - Christopher Columbus is among those 432 00:20:35,875 --> 00:20:37,542 who go looking for Ophir. 433 00:20:37,542 --> 00:20:40,042 We know from his writings, that he studied the Bible 434 00:20:40,042 --> 00:20:43,875 and other ancient sources to try to figure out its location. 435 00:20:43,875 --> 00:20:46,667 - Columbus travels west in 1492, 436 00:20:46,667 --> 00:20:49,667 and he ultimately makes four voyages to the Americas. 437 00:20:49,667 --> 00:20:53,542 He believes he finds Ophir on an island he calls Espanola, 438 00:20:53,542 --> 00:20:55,708 later changed to his Hispaniola, 439 00:20:55,708 --> 00:20:58,458 which is now Haiti and the Dominican Republic. 440 00:20:58,458 --> 00:20:59,833 - [Dennis] Upon his arrival, 441 00:20:59,833 --> 00:21:02,875 Columbus is greeted by the Arawak people. 442 00:21:02,875 --> 00:21:05,167 - Although the Arawak tribe's people he encounters 443 00:21:05,167 --> 00:21:06,875 don't wear much gold, 444 00:21:06,875 --> 00:21:09,625 it becomes clear that there is gold on the island. 445 00:21:09,625 --> 00:21:13,042 One native presents gold leaf, some have gold nuggets, 446 00:21:13,042 --> 00:21:14,708 another has a gold belt. 447 00:21:14,708 --> 00:21:17,250 The Arawak are peaceful and generous 448 00:21:17,250 --> 00:21:19,583 and offer their gold to Columbus. 449 00:21:20,875 --> 00:21:23,458 - [Dennis] Encouraged, Columbus brings additional manpower 450 00:21:23,458 --> 00:21:27,000 to the island, hoping to send immense amounts of gold 451 00:21:27,000 --> 00:21:28,000 back to Spain. 452 00:21:29,000 --> 00:21:31,875 - Tragically, Columbus brings devastation to the island 453 00:21:31,875 --> 00:21:33,417 for no reason. 454 00:21:33,417 --> 00:21:35,208 He's greatly overestimated 455 00:21:35,208 --> 00:21:36,875 the amount of gold that there is there. 456 00:21:36,875 --> 00:21:39,458 The items that the Arawak people offered him 457 00:21:39,458 --> 00:21:43,583 turn out to be the product of many years of accumulation. 458 00:21:43,583 --> 00:21:45,833 - When it becomes clear he's made a mistake, 459 00:21:45,833 --> 00:21:49,625 Columbus returns to Spain, but he's not discouraged. 460 00:21:49,625 --> 00:21:52,417 He simply thinks he's been looking in the wrong place. 461 00:21:53,708 --> 00:21:57,167 - In 1502, Ferdinand and Isabella give him another chance 462 00:21:57,167 --> 00:21:58,875 to retrieve the gold, 463 00:21:58,875 --> 00:22:02,000 and after a fourth and final journey across the sea, 464 00:22:02,000 --> 00:22:05,917 Columbus claims to find the source of King Solomon's wealth 465 00:22:05,917 --> 00:22:07,625 in Central America. 466 00:22:07,625 --> 00:22:09,625 - [Dennis] But with no solid proof, 467 00:22:09,625 --> 00:22:12,333 his discovery is hotly debated. 468 00:22:12,333 --> 00:22:14,542 - Even at the time, some people are convinced 469 00:22:14,542 --> 00:22:18,042 Columbus is just making this claim in desperation, 470 00:22:18,042 --> 00:22:19,792 so they keep looking elsewhere. 471 00:22:19,792 --> 00:22:21,042 (tense music) 472 00:22:21,042 --> 00:22:23,250 - [Dennis] The search for the legendary gold mines 473 00:22:23,250 --> 00:22:25,333 continues for centuries, 474 00:22:25,333 --> 00:22:29,333 and in 1865, German explorer Karl Mauch 475 00:22:29,333 --> 00:22:30,875 sets his sights on a place 476 00:22:30,875 --> 00:22:34,833 no one has targeted before, Southern Africa. 477 00:22:36,042 --> 00:22:38,750 - Mauch explorers with hunter Henry Hartley, 478 00:22:38,750 --> 00:22:40,542 and on their journey, the travelers are offered 479 00:22:40,542 --> 00:22:42,583 small quantities of gold in trade, 480 00:22:42,583 --> 00:22:44,958 so they think they're on the right track. 481 00:22:44,958 --> 00:22:49,000 In 1868, Mauch publicizes the existence of gold deposits 482 00:22:49,000 --> 00:22:50,833 on the banks of the Tati River. 483 00:22:50,833 --> 00:22:53,417 - They cross into the country of Zimbabwe, 484 00:22:53,417 --> 00:22:55,458 where they come upon the ruins of an ancient city 485 00:22:55,458 --> 00:22:57,542 called Great Zimbabwe. 486 00:22:57,542 --> 00:23:01,542 Mauch mistakenly assumes they're at the ruins of Ophir. 487 00:23:01,542 --> 00:23:05,333 He claims the city's wood beams are Lebanese cedar, 488 00:23:05,333 --> 00:23:08,375 and even claims that Great Zimbabwe is modeled 489 00:23:08,375 --> 00:23:10,875 after King Solomon's palace. 490 00:23:10,875 --> 00:23:12,958 - Before the ruins are later proven to be 491 00:23:12,958 --> 00:23:15,208 of entirely African origin, 492 00:23:15,208 --> 00:23:19,625 a book about Mauch's journey is published in London in 1868. 493 00:23:19,625 --> 00:23:22,250 It creates a gold rush in South Africa. 494 00:23:23,292 --> 00:23:26,458 - [Dennis] Searches for the gold mines continue for years, 495 00:23:26,458 --> 00:23:31,042 then in 1935, one archeologist announces 496 00:23:31,042 --> 00:23:35,208 he knows why no one has been able to find them. 497 00:23:35,208 --> 00:23:38,125 - He believes that the source of Solomon's great wealth 498 00:23:38,125 --> 00:23:40,292 probably isn't gold at all. 499 00:23:40,292 --> 00:23:41,500 It's something else. 500 00:23:46,375 --> 00:23:47,708 - [Dennis] The search for the legendary 501 00:23:47,708 --> 00:23:49,375 gold mines of King Solomon 502 00:23:49,375 --> 00:23:52,417 has enticed and frustrated treasure seekers 503 00:23:52,417 --> 00:23:54,458 for over 2,000 years. 504 00:23:55,208 --> 00:23:57,000 Then in the 1930s, 505 00:23:57,000 --> 00:24:00,542 American rabbi and archeologist, Nelson Glueck, 506 00:24:00,542 --> 00:24:03,000 shares his theory. 507 00:24:03,000 --> 00:24:06,542 He believes the reason why the treasure has never been found 508 00:24:06,542 --> 00:24:10,583 is because everyone's looking for the wrong element. 509 00:24:10,583 --> 00:24:11,917 - Now in antiquity, 510 00:24:11,917 --> 00:24:14,792 there's a metal that's more valuable than gold. 511 00:24:14,792 --> 00:24:19,792 The metal that everyone would much prefer to have is copper. 512 00:24:19,917 --> 00:24:22,542 - Copper is a big commodity in ancient times. 513 00:24:22,542 --> 00:24:25,208 You can build with it, you can farm with it, 514 00:24:25,208 --> 00:24:26,875 you can make weapons out of it. 515 00:24:26,875 --> 00:24:30,375 It confers power and wealth on whoever controls it. 516 00:24:30,375 --> 00:24:33,375 It's like oil in the modern world. 517 00:24:33,375 --> 00:24:35,375 - In fact, the Bible specifically mentions 518 00:24:35,375 --> 00:24:37,625 copper mining a few different times. 519 00:24:37,625 --> 00:24:40,083 In Deuteronomy, Israel is described as 520 00:24:40,083 --> 00:24:43,833 a land out of whose hills you can mine copper. 521 00:24:43,833 --> 00:24:47,375 In the Book of Job, it describes the smelting of copper 522 00:24:47,375 --> 00:24:49,625 and mining operations in detail. 523 00:24:50,375 --> 00:24:54,042 - Glueck comes to Israel all the way from Cincinnati, Ohio. 524 00:24:54,042 --> 00:24:57,083 He starts his search 90 miles south of Jerusalem, 525 00:24:57,083 --> 00:24:58,083 in the Arava Desert. 526 00:24:59,542 --> 00:25:02,625 - [Dennis] When Glueck arrives in March of 1934, 527 00:25:02,625 --> 00:25:05,375 he locates an ancient mining complex 528 00:25:05,375 --> 00:25:06,875 that supports his theory. 529 00:25:08,042 --> 00:25:11,583 - All strewn about are piles of black slag, 530 00:25:11,583 --> 00:25:13,167 which are chunks of material leftover 531 00:25:13,167 --> 00:25:16,792 from the smelting process of extracting copper from ore, 532 00:25:16,792 --> 00:25:20,167 and the slag is thousands of years old. 533 00:25:20,167 --> 00:25:23,292 - In the course of his exploration of the mining site, 534 00:25:23,292 --> 00:25:24,708 Glueck claims to have determined 535 00:25:24,708 --> 00:25:27,417 several periods of occupation there, 536 00:25:27,417 --> 00:25:29,208 and he believes the first period 537 00:25:29,208 --> 00:25:33,542 is during the time of Solomon, around the 10th century BC, 538 00:25:33,542 --> 00:25:36,375 and it's within the borders of his kingdom. 539 00:25:36,375 --> 00:25:38,167 - In a 1944 article 540 00:25:38,167 --> 00:25:40,833 entitled "On the Trail of King Solomon's Mines," 541 00:25:40,833 --> 00:25:45,833 he announces that he has, in fact, found the famous mines. 542 00:25:46,042 --> 00:25:47,292 - At the time, 543 00:25:47,292 --> 00:25:49,958 many archeologists hotly contest Glueck's findings. 544 00:25:49,958 --> 00:25:51,958 The primary belief among academics 545 00:25:51,958 --> 00:25:54,875 is that King Solomon simply wasn't as big a deal 546 00:25:54,875 --> 00:25:56,792 as the Bible makes him out to be. 547 00:25:56,792 --> 00:25:59,875 He was more of a small scale chieftain 548 00:25:59,875 --> 00:26:01,875 who wouldn't have been capable of organizing 549 00:26:01,875 --> 00:26:05,708 such a large scale mining operation. 550 00:26:05,708 --> 00:26:10,792 - They think that the only advanced civilization nearby 551 00:26:10,792 --> 00:26:13,125 that could have pulled off such a large mining industry, 552 00:26:13,125 --> 00:26:14,500 is the Egyptians. 553 00:26:14,500 --> 00:26:15,708 As a result, 554 00:26:15,708 --> 00:26:18,583 Glueck is discredited in scholarly circles. 555 00:26:18,917 --> 00:26:21,375 - [Dennis] But a discovery in 2013 556 00:26:21,375 --> 00:26:25,833 by University of Tel Aviv archeologist Erez Ben-Yosef 557 00:26:25,833 --> 00:26:27,750 in Israel's Timna Valley, 558 00:26:27,750 --> 00:26:31,875 proves Glueck might have been on the right track. 559 00:26:31,875 --> 00:26:34,000 - This area, known as Slaves Hill, 560 00:26:34,000 --> 00:26:37,208 is dotted with copper mines and smelting camps. 561 00:26:37,208 --> 00:26:40,458 The evidence of a huge mining operation 562 00:26:40,458 --> 00:26:42,208 is everywhere at Timna. 563 00:26:42,208 --> 00:26:44,875 Hand dug tunnels snake through the hills 564 00:26:44,875 --> 00:26:48,458 and the ground is cratered like a lunar landscape. 565 00:26:48,458 --> 00:26:51,542 You can still see the green strands of copper in the rocks, 566 00:26:51,542 --> 00:26:54,375 and there are mountains of slag and charcoal 567 00:26:54,375 --> 00:26:55,917 from thousands of mines. 568 00:26:55,917 --> 00:27:01,042 Some of them are as deep as 230 feet into the ground. 569 00:27:01,875 --> 00:27:03,375 - Much like with Glueck's discovery, 570 00:27:03,375 --> 00:27:05,292 archeologists have always assumed 571 00:27:05,292 --> 00:27:09,375 this mining was also being done by the Egyptians. 572 00:27:09,375 --> 00:27:11,292 - [Dennis] But Ben-Yosef disagrees, 573 00:27:11,292 --> 00:27:16,250 so in 2016, he brings in his own team to look for proof. 574 00:27:24,083 --> 00:27:26,667 - Ben-Yosef's dig turns up clothing, food waste, 575 00:27:26,667 --> 00:27:28,875 and excrement from livestock. 576 00:27:28,875 --> 00:27:31,208 Now these things can be radiocarbon dated, 577 00:27:31,208 --> 00:27:33,708 and when the results come back from the lab, 578 00:27:33,708 --> 00:27:36,750 they totally shock the archeological community. 579 00:27:36,750 --> 00:27:41,208 The site most definitely dates to the 10th century BC. 580 00:27:41,208 --> 00:27:43,625 - This means the mining camp's not Egyptian. 581 00:27:43,625 --> 00:27:45,458 Its peak was during the time 582 00:27:45,458 --> 00:27:48,208 we believe to be Solomon's reign. 583 00:27:48,208 --> 00:27:51,333 This is definite proof that there was a highly advanced 584 00:27:51,333 --> 00:27:53,292 and productive copper mine in the region, 585 00:27:53,292 --> 00:27:56,708 and it certainly was making someone rich. 586 00:27:56,708 --> 00:27:59,167 - [Dennis] Could that someone be King Solomon? 587 00:28:00,208 --> 00:28:02,708 - The mines could have belonged to Solomon, 588 00:28:02,708 --> 00:28:04,542 or they might have been operated 589 00:28:04,542 --> 00:28:07,292 by a nearby nomadic kingdom, the Edomites. 590 00:28:08,667 --> 00:28:11,708 Edom is an ancient land bordering Israel 591 00:28:11,708 --> 00:28:14,083 in what is now southwestern Jordan, 592 00:28:14,083 --> 00:28:17,500 between the Gulf of Aqaba and the Dead Sea. 593 00:28:17,500 --> 00:28:20,500 - The Edomites are closely related to the Israelites, 594 00:28:20,500 --> 00:28:21,917 but despite their lineage, 595 00:28:21,917 --> 00:28:24,167 the two factions are frequently at war. 596 00:28:24,958 --> 00:28:28,500 - But even if these mines belong to the Edomites, 597 00:28:28,500 --> 00:28:31,875 there's a chance that Solomon was reaping the benefits. 598 00:28:31,875 --> 00:28:34,875 According to the Bible, Solomon's father, King David, 599 00:28:34,875 --> 00:28:36,750 had actually conquered the Edomites 600 00:28:36,750 --> 00:28:39,875 and placed garrisons all over their territory. 601 00:28:39,875 --> 00:28:41,292 - Maybe David's reason 602 00:28:41,292 --> 00:28:44,208 for putting garrisons out in this remote desert area 603 00:28:44,208 --> 00:28:47,542 is to tax the lucrative copper production. 604 00:28:47,542 --> 00:28:49,958 - [Dennis] One of Solomon's construction projects 605 00:28:49,958 --> 00:28:52,292 could provide further proof. 606 00:28:52,292 --> 00:28:53,750 (dramatic music) 607 00:28:53,750 --> 00:28:56,042 - In 1 King's, Solomon builds a port 608 00:28:56,042 --> 00:28:58,583 near the modern city of Eilat, 609 00:28:58,583 --> 00:29:01,292 which is in Edomite territory. 610 00:29:01,292 --> 00:29:04,917 According to 2 Chronicles, he already had a port at Joppa. 611 00:29:06,083 --> 00:29:08,625 Why would he need another one down here, 612 00:29:08,625 --> 00:29:10,667 which was much larger than the first? 613 00:29:10,667 --> 00:29:12,875 Perhaps to transport all the valuable copper 614 00:29:12,875 --> 00:29:15,167 which was coming out of this mine. 615 00:29:15,167 --> 00:29:16,917 - And of course, this could also explain 616 00:29:16,917 --> 00:29:19,208 all the gold coming Solomon's way. 617 00:29:19,208 --> 00:29:22,917 If you've got tons of copper and a port full of ships, 618 00:29:22,917 --> 00:29:26,667 all the gold your heart desires is just a trade away. 619 00:29:26,667 --> 00:29:29,208 Copper goes out, gold comes in, 620 00:29:29,208 --> 00:29:30,875 and suddenly you're in the history books 621 00:29:30,875 --> 00:29:33,042 as the world's richest man. 622 00:29:33,042 --> 00:29:37,667 - Whether apocryphal or real, the lure of such wealth 623 00:29:37,667 --> 00:29:42,000 is likely to inspire future generations of treasure hunters, 624 00:29:42,000 --> 00:29:45,500 with each new discovery unearthing something surprising 625 00:29:45,500 --> 00:29:46,750 about our ancient past. 626 00:29:52,125 --> 00:29:54,000 - The Bible is not the only Holy Book 627 00:29:54,000 --> 00:29:56,958 that describes riches beyond compare. 628 00:29:56,958 --> 00:30:01,375 Two Hindu texts tell the story of incredible fortunes 629 00:30:01,375 --> 00:30:04,042 created by a magical gem. 630 00:30:05,333 --> 00:30:07,875 - You don't have to mine the treasure or trade for it. 631 00:30:07,875 --> 00:30:11,083 It's magically created, as if from thin air, 632 00:30:11,083 --> 00:30:14,417 by an artifact known as the Syamantaka gem. 633 00:30:15,750 --> 00:30:18,167 - The gem originally belongs to Surya, 634 00:30:18,167 --> 00:30:22,125 the Hindu God of the Sun, who wears it around his neck. 635 00:30:22,125 --> 00:30:24,250 One day, according to the story, 636 00:30:24,250 --> 00:30:28,000 Satrajit, a nobleman and devotee of Surya, 637 00:30:28,000 --> 00:30:31,500 is praying when he sees the God before him. 638 00:30:31,500 --> 00:30:35,042 The Sun God is in an indistinct and fiery shape, 639 00:30:35,042 --> 00:30:37,000 so Satrajit asks him 640 00:30:37,000 --> 00:30:40,042 if he can take a less blinding appearance. 641 00:30:40,042 --> 00:30:43,708 Surya removes the Syamantaka gem from around his neck 642 00:30:43,708 --> 00:30:45,917 and reveals his true form. 643 00:30:46,708 --> 00:30:49,167 - Surya is short in stature, 644 00:30:49,167 --> 00:30:54,000 with a body like burnished copper, and reddish eyes. 645 00:30:54,000 --> 00:30:58,125 Satrajit offers his adorations, his devotions, 646 00:30:58,125 --> 00:31:00,875 and the Sun God grants him a wish. 647 00:31:02,042 --> 00:31:05,042 - [Dennis] Satrajit wishes for the jewel itself. 648 00:31:05,042 --> 00:31:08,708 - This gem can produce vast amounts of wealth. 649 00:31:08,708 --> 00:31:10,333 It simply appears, 650 00:31:10,333 --> 00:31:12,417 so it's something like a wealth generator. 651 00:31:13,583 --> 00:31:17,708 - Something like 170 pounds of gold every day, 652 00:31:17,708 --> 00:31:19,208 which is the equivalent 653 00:31:19,208 --> 00:31:23,833 of about $5 million every single day. 654 00:31:25,042 --> 00:31:29,042 - The Syamantaka gem is also believed to offer protection, 655 00:31:29,042 --> 00:31:31,042 preventing calamities like floods, 656 00:31:31,042 --> 00:31:33,375 droughts, earthquakes, and famines. 657 00:31:33,375 --> 00:31:37,083 Wherever it remains, is a land of peace and prosperity. 658 00:31:38,000 --> 00:31:39,500 - [Dennis] But, there's a catch. 659 00:31:40,208 --> 00:31:41,958 - Some Hindu experts claim 660 00:31:41,958 --> 00:31:45,417 that the jewel seems to amplify karma. 661 00:31:45,417 --> 00:31:47,667 It only brings gold and good fortune 662 00:31:47,667 --> 00:31:49,917 to those who are pure of heart. 663 00:31:49,917 --> 00:31:51,750 Because of that, it can only be safely worn 664 00:31:51,750 --> 00:31:54,542 by a God or a woman. 665 00:31:54,542 --> 00:31:56,917 So a vain and power-hungry man 666 00:31:56,917 --> 00:31:59,458 may suffer terrible consequences. 667 00:32:00,792 --> 00:32:04,792 - Satrajit becomes incredibly wealthy thanks to the gem, 668 00:32:04,792 --> 00:32:08,292 but one day, Satrajit's brother, Prasena, 669 00:32:08,292 --> 00:32:11,250 takes the jewel and wears it around his neck, 670 00:32:11,250 --> 00:32:14,208 proudly displaying the wealth of his family. 671 00:32:14,208 --> 00:32:16,833 While riding his horse through the forest, 672 00:32:16,833 --> 00:32:19,375 he's attacked by a lion and killed. 673 00:32:19,375 --> 00:32:21,333 - [Dennis] This may be the first fatality 674 00:32:21,333 --> 00:32:24,958 at the hands of the gem, but it won't be the last. 675 00:32:25,958 --> 00:32:28,875 - Eventually, the gem finds its way back 676 00:32:28,875 --> 00:32:30,917 to Satrajit's possession. 677 00:32:30,917 --> 00:32:34,625 However, Satrajit is now a target 678 00:32:34,625 --> 00:32:39,375 for others who have greed for this gem and its properties, 679 00:32:39,375 --> 00:32:43,875 and he is attacked by three wicked robbers 680 00:32:43,875 --> 00:32:47,500 who kill him and take the gem for themselves. 681 00:32:47,500 --> 00:32:50,375 - Various Hindu texts, including the Mahabharata, 682 00:32:50,375 --> 00:32:55,000 describe a series of the gem's owners after Satrajit. 683 00:32:55,000 --> 00:33:00,042 It passes to Karna, then Arjuna, then Yudhisthira. 684 00:33:01,083 --> 00:33:03,125 Several of these folks are also killed. 685 00:33:03,125 --> 00:33:04,958 All of the people described so far, 686 00:33:04,958 --> 00:33:08,125 are thought to be mythical characters. 687 00:33:08,125 --> 00:33:11,208 The Mahabharata is full of magic and gods, 688 00:33:11,208 --> 00:33:14,042 and these ancient Indian kings that historically, 689 00:33:14,042 --> 00:33:17,000 we don't believe necessarily existed. 690 00:33:17,000 --> 00:33:19,667 Or if they did, we have no proof of where and when, 691 00:33:19,667 --> 00:33:23,167 until we get to Yudhisthira's grand nephew, 692 00:33:23,167 --> 00:33:25,667 who the Mahabharata says inherits his kingdom 693 00:33:25,667 --> 00:33:29,500 after he dies, along with the Syamantaka gem. 694 00:33:29,500 --> 00:33:32,292 His name is Parikshit. 695 00:33:32,292 --> 00:33:33,875 - Parikshit was an actual person 696 00:33:33,875 --> 00:33:36,250 who lived around the 9th century BC. 697 00:33:36,250 --> 00:33:38,333 He's been traced to that era 698 00:33:38,333 --> 00:33:40,750 by Indian historian Hem Raychaudhuri. 699 00:33:42,042 --> 00:33:45,917 - So now we have an actual historical king 700 00:33:45,917 --> 00:33:47,667 who is said to have inherited 701 00:33:47,667 --> 00:33:49,708 this fantastic Syamantaka gem. 702 00:33:51,250 --> 00:33:53,792 - [Dennis] Unfortunately, some believe King Parikshit 703 00:33:53,792 --> 00:33:57,625 also falls victim to the dark side of the gem's powers. 704 00:33:58,958 --> 00:34:02,500 - Parikshit is a vain and power-hungry ruler. 705 00:34:02,500 --> 00:34:05,292 According to the story, he has the audacity 706 00:34:05,292 --> 00:34:08,750 to disrespect a holy man named Shamika, 707 00:34:08,750 --> 00:34:11,708 by tossing a snake at him while he's meditating. 708 00:34:11,708 --> 00:34:14,375 (tense music) 709 00:34:14,375 --> 00:34:16,917 This proves he is unpure of heart 710 00:34:16,917 --> 00:34:19,875 and invokes the gem's curse. 711 00:34:19,875 --> 00:34:21,792 In an act of karmic revenge, 712 00:34:21,792 --> 00:34:25,958 Parikshit dies from a snake bite and his son takes over. 713 00:34:25,958 --> 00:34:28,250 (tense music) 714 00:34:28,250 --> 00:34:31,208 - From there, the gem is much easier to track. 715 00:34:31,208 --> 00:34:33,375 It passes down from king to king. 716 00:34:33,375 --> 00:34:36,042 Some are conquered, some are killed. 717 00:34:36,042 --> 00:34:38,375 Periodically, the gem may not be mentioned 718 00:34:38,375 --> 00:34:41,792 for a few generations, but it continues to resurface 719 00:34:41,792 --> 00:34:43,417 through Indian royal families. 720 00:34:44,958 --> 00:34:46,333 - One of the more interesting stories 721 00:34:46,333 --> 00:34:48,417 is that of King Porus. 722 00:34:48,417 --> 00:34:52,708 He's said to possess the gem when in 326 BC, 723 00:34:52,708 --> 00:34:56,167 his armies come up against Alexander the Great. 724 00:34:56,833 --> 00:34:58,542 Porus loses. 725 00:34:58,542 --> 00:35:00,375 But Alexander makes him the governor 726 00:35:00,375 --> 00:35:02,542 of all his same original territories, 727 00:35:02,542 --> 00:35:04,583 plus gives him a whole bunch more. 728 00:35:05,958 --> 00:35:08,708 Now, not a lot of people come away richer 729 00:35:08,708 --> 00:35:11,375 after losing a battle to Alexander the Great. 730 00:35:11,375 --> 00:35:13,750 Maybe there is something to the legend of the gem. 731 00:35:15,375 --> 00:35:18,125 - Ultimately, Porus was assassinated 732 00:35:18,125 --> 00:35:20,667 by one of Alexander's generals 733 00:35:20,667 --> 00:35:24,625 who is motivated by greed for the Syamantaka gem. 734 00:35:24,625 --> 00:35:27,542 - And that's it, the Syamantaka gem goes missing. 735 00:35:27,542 --> 00:35:29,458 We don't have any records that say 736 00:35:29,458 --> 00:35:33,875 what happens to it after that, at least for 2,300 years. 737 00:35:33,875 --> 00:35:36,375 (dramatic music) 738 00:35:40,125 --> 00:35:41,792 - [Dennis] According to Hindu legends, 739 00:35:41,792 --> 00:35:45,958 a source of infinite wealth known as the Syamantaka gem 740 00:35:45,958 --> 00:35:49,833 is passed down through Indian rulers for thousands of years. 741 00:35:51,375 --> 00:35:53,708 - After it's rumored to be in the hands of King Porus 742 00:35:53,708 --> 00:35:56,750 in the 320s BC, we don't find any more mentions 743 00:35:56,750 --> 00:36:00,167 of a particular owner of the Syamantaka gem. 744 00:36:00,167 --> 00:36:02,625 - [Dennis] That is until 2009, 745 00:36:02,625 --> 00:36:05,917 when a pair of researchers claim to have rediscovered it, 746 00:36:05,917 --> 00:36:08,333 hiding in plain sight. 747 00:36:08,333 --> 00:36:10,375 - Lionel and Patricia Fanthorpe 748 00:36:10,375 --> 00:36:13,375 published "Secrets of the World's Undiscovered Treasures," 749 00:36:13,375 --> 00:36:15,625 in which they say that the Syamantaka gem 750 00:36:15,625 --> 00:36:18,750 has indeed survived into modern times. 751 00:36:18,750 --> 00:36:21,333 - They posit that the reason 752 00:36:21,333 --> 00:36:24,292 everyone thought it was lost to history 753 00:36:24,292 --> 00:36:26,667 was actually simply because 754 00:36:26,667 --> 00:36:28,792 it had begun going by a different name. 755 00:36:29,792 --> 00:36:32,208 They think the Syamantaka gem 756 00:36:32,208 --> 00:36:35,667 is now being called the Kohinoor Diamond. 757 00:36:37,208 --> 00:36:38,542 - [Nicola Denzey Lewis] The Kohinoor 758 00:36:38,542 --> 00:36:40,208 is one of the largest cut diamonds in history. 759 00:36:40,208 --> 00:36:43,458 Its name means mountain of light in Persian, 760 00:36:43,458 --> 00:36:47,667 and it weighs a whopping 105.6 carrots. 761 00:36:48,958 --> 00:36:50,583 - According to the Fanthorpes, 762 00:36:50,583 --> 00:36:53,833 they've uncovered Sanskrit records that date the Kohinoor 763 00:36:53,833 --> 00:36:56,417 back over 5,000 years, 764 00:36:56,417 --> 00:36:59,583 when it was originally known as Syamantaka. 765 00:36:59,583 --> 00:37:02,292 Their histories certainly have some parallels. 766 00:37:03,250 --> 00:37:04,708 - [Dennis] Like the Syamantaka, 767 00:37:04,708 --> 00:37:09,042 the Kohinoor has also bestowed incredible wealth 768 00:37:09,042 --> 00:37:10,375 to its owners. 769 00:37:10,375 --> 00:37:13,458 - The Kohinoor diamond first appears 770 00:37:13,458 --> 00:37:17,125 in the reign of the mogul emperor Shah Jahan. 771 00:37:17,125 --> 00:37:21,750 Shah Jahan is best known as the creator of the Taj Mahal. 772 00:37:23,000 --> 00:37:25,833 He also had a beautiful throne constructed for himself, 773 00:37:25,833 --> 00:37:27,375 called the Peacock Throne. 774 00:37:27,375 --> 00:37:30,958 The Peacock Throne is made to look like a peacock, 775 00:37:30,958 --> 00:37:33,708 with its tail feathers extended, 776 00:37:33,708 --> 00:37:38,167 and its head was formed by the Kohinoor diamond. 777 00:37:38,167 --> 00:37:39,875 (dramatic music) 778 00:37:39,875 --> 00:37:41,375 - The final cost of the throne 779 00:37:41,375 --> 00:37:44,833 is said to be nearly four times as much as the Taj Mahal. 780 00:37:46,417 --> 00:37:50,375 - Shah Jahan is said to be the wealthiest man in the world 781 00:37:50,375 --> 00:37:52,042 during his rule, 782 00:37:52,042 --> 00:37:55,917 with an empire that brings in 220 million rupees per year. 783 00:37:55,917 --> 00:37:58,417 There's no accurate way to convert that into today's money, 784 00:37:58,417 --> 00:38:01,875 but it's a staggering amount for the time. 785 00:38:01,875 --> 00:38:03,167 (dramatic music) 786 00:38:03,167 --> 00:38:07,375 - In addition to his fabulous throne and lavish palaces, 787 00:38:07,375 --> 00:38:11,083 he has 50 million rupees worth of jewelry. 788 00:38:11,083 --> 00:38:12,875 - [Dennis] But like the Syamantaka, 789 00:38:12,875 --> 00:38:15,875 the Kohinoor is also believed to be cursed. 790 00:38:17,542 --> 00:38:21,375 - When Deli is attacked by the Persian Nader Shah in 1739, 791 00:38:21,375 --> 00:38:24,625 the Peacock Throne and the Kohinoor are seized. 792 00:38:24,625 --> 00:38:27,375 Nader Shah is eventually assassinated, 793 00:38:27,375 --> 00:38:31,042 stabbed to death by 15 co-conspirators. 794 00:38:31,042 --> 00:38:34,167 - Again, it passes through the hands of various kings 795 00:38:34,167 --> 00:38:37,542 until it reaches the Sikh empire in 1813, 796 00:38:37,542 --> 00:38:40,083 where Maharaja Ranjit Singh 797 00:38:40,083 --> 00:38:42,917 captures it from the Durrani dynasty. 798 00:38:42,917 --> 00:38:47,250 - Singh may actually experience the worst fate 799 00:38:47,250 --> 00:38:48,708 of all the gem's holders. 800 00:38:48,708 --> 00:38:52,917 His entire ruling family is dismantled. 801 00:38:52,917 --> 00:38:55,042 After his death in 1839, 802 00:38:55,042 --> 00:38:58,625 his son is dethroned and imprisoned within four months. 803 00:38:58,625 --> 00:39:01,375 His grandson rules only for a year 804 00:39:01,375 --> 00:39:03,875 before dying at the age of 19. 805 00:39:03,875 --> 00:39:05,708 - To believers, this is another sign 806 00:39:05,708 --> 00:39:09,375 that the Kohinoor and the Syamantaka are one and the same. 807 00:39:09,375 --> 00:39:11,542 In Hindu myth, only a God or a woman 808 00:39:11,542 --> 00:39:14,125 can wear the Syamantaka with impunity, 809 00:39:14,125 --> 00:39:17,417 and trouble comes calling for rulers who seize the jewel. 810 00:39:18,583 --> 00:39:21,542 - [Dennis] By 1843, the kingdom and the Kohinoor 811 00:39:21,542 --> 00:39:25,000 are held by the only surviving male heir, 812 00:39:25,000 --> 00:39:27,375 5-year-old Duleep Singh. 813 00:39:28,750 --> 00:39:32,542 - Duleep Singh is the final Maharaja of the Sikh empire. 814 00:39:32,542 --> 00:39:34,625 By the time he's 10 years old, 815 00:39:34,625 --> 00:39:38,542 the empire has been completely dismantled by the British. 816 00:39:38,542 --> 00:39:41,708 The British force Duleep to sign an amendment 817 00:39:41,708 --> 00:39:44,375 in which he renounces any claim to sovereignty 818 00:39:44,375 --> 00:39:45,458 over his empire. 819 00:39:46,792 --> 00:39:50,792 - Even more interestingly, this document specifically says 820 00:39:50,792 --> 00:39:53,375 that he has to give up the Kohinoor. 821 00:39:53,375 --> 00:39:55,833 It's such a powerful and prestigious gem, 822 00:39:55,833 --> 00:39:58,125 that Queen Victoria wants it for herself. 823 00:39:59,583 --> 00:40:03,083 - Queen Victoria wears this Kohinoor diamond 824 00:40:03,083 --> 00:40:05,292 initially as a broach. 825 00:40:05,292 --> 00:40:06,875 After Queen Victoria, 826 00:40:06,875 --> 00:40:11,375 this gem then passes into the crown jewels collection, 827 00:40:11,375 --> 00:40:14,250 where it's added to a crown 828 00:40:14,250 --> 00:40:18,625 that is worn by the queen mother, mother of Elizabeth II. 829 00:40:20,292 --> 00:40:21,500 - [Dennis] To this day, 830 00:40:21,500 --> 00:40:23,292 the diamond is only allowed to be worn 831 00:40:23,292 --> 00:40:26,542 by female members of the royal family. 832 00:40:26,542 --> 00:40:29,083 - This seems related to the superstition 833 00:40:29,083 --> 00:40:33,458 that the Syamantaka gem can only be worn safely by a woman. 834 00:40:33,458 --> 00:40:36,042 It was very specifically left out of 835 00:40:36,042 --> 00:40:39,583 King Charles' recent coronation ceremony, for instance. 836 00:40:39,583 --> 00:40:41,333 It remains to be seen 837 00:40:41,333 --> 00:40:43,958 who will be the next to where the jewel. 838 00:40:43,958 --> 00:40:46,667 - [Dennis] Until then, the Kohinoor can be viewed, 839 00:40:46,667 --> 00:40:48,625 along with the rest of the crown jewels, 840 00:40:48,625 --> 00:40:50,875 in the Tower of London. 841 00:40:50,875 --> 00:40:53,042 - There are still a lot of unknowns out there. 842 00:40:53,042 --> 00:40:56,708 Hopefully, someday, someone can definitely prove 843 00:40:56,708 --> 00:41:00,292 whether the Kohinoor is really the Syamantaka gem. 844 00:41:00,292 --> 00:41:02,833 (tense music) 845 00:41:04,208 --> 00:41:08,875 - Astonishing treasures with remarkable histories. 846 00:41:08,875 --> 00:41:12,875 Perhaps someday, someone will be lucky enough 847 00:41:12,875 --> 00:41:16,000 to unlock all their secrets. 848 00:41:16,000 --> 00:41:19,625 I'm Dennis Quaid, and thanks for watching "Holy Marvels."