1 00:00:01,501 --> 00:00:03,168 On this episode of "Expedition Files." 2 00:00:03,169 --> 00:00:05,380 [ominous music plays] 3 00:00:05,505 --> 00:00:08,383 A treasure so magnificent, it's been called "the eighth 4 00:00:08,508 --> 00:00:09,843 wonder of the world." 5 00:00:09,968 --> 00:00:12,845 The Amber Room, stolen by the Nazis, 6 00:00:12,846 --> 00:00:15,140 and then it vanishes. 7 00:00:16,182 --> 00:00:18,600 Was it destroyed in the chaos of war, 8 00:00:18,601 --> 00:00:20,979 or is it still out there? 9 00:00:23,940 --> 00:00:27,402 Then, almost a billion dollars in Bitcoin lost 10 00:00:27,527 --> 00:00:29,361 on a missing hard drive. 11 00:00:29,362 --> 00:00:32,365 Can this massive digital fortune be recovered 12 00:00:32,490 --> 00:00:33,491 from a landfill? 13 00:00:35,785 --> 00:00:40,415 And finally, King Solomon's mines, long dismissed as myth, 14 00:00:40,540 --> 00:00:44,419 until now, shocking new discoveries reveal the truth 15 00:00:44,544 --> 00:00:47,379 behind what could be the greatest treasure hoard 16 00:00:47,380 --> 00:00:48,381 in history. 17 00:00:51,342 --> 00:00:52,719 In the corridors of time... 18 00:00:55,263 --> 00:00:57,974 are mysteries that defy explanation. 19 00:00:59,726 --> 00:01:03,021 Now, I'm traveling through history itself... 20 00:01:05,815 --> 00:01:07,358 on a search for the truth. 21 00:01:09,819 --> 00:01:10,904 New evidence, 22 00:01:12,822 --> 00:01:13,907 shocking answers. 23 00:01:15,909 --> 00:01:17,077 I'm Josh Gates. 24 00:01:18,369 --> 00:01:19,454 And these... 25 00:01:21,456 --> 00:01:23,249 are my "Expedition Files." 26 00:01:27,879 --> 00:01:31,423 When we talk about treasured objects, sometimes we use 27 00:01:31,424 --> 00:01:34,009 a healthy dose of poetic license. 28 00:01:34,010 --> 00:01:37,346 Were my Garbage Pail Kids trading cards really treasure 29 00:01:37,347 --> 00:01:38,931 back in the 1980s? 30 00:01:38,932 --> 00:01:40,934 Yeah, Mom. Yeah, they were. 31 00:01:41,059 --> 00:01:44,771 But some objects really are bona fide solid gold treasures, 32 00:01:44,896 --> 00:01:47,481 often because they're made of, well, solid gold. 33 00:01:47,482 --> 00:01:50,150 And tonight, we examine the mysteries of three 34 00:01:50,151 --> 00:01:54,196 of history's most fascinating missing treasures, lost for 35 00:01:54,197 --> 00:01:59,452 years, decades, even millennia, and now, perhaps, found. 36 00:01:59,577 --> 00:02:02,330 And we begin here, in the gilded halls 37 00:02:02,455 --> 00:02:05,083 of Catherine Palace in St. Petersburg. 38 00:02:06,209 --> 00:02:08,670 This is the residence of the Russian tsars, 39 00:02:08,795 --> 00:02:11,339 but since this is June of 1941, 40 00:02:11,464 --> 00:02:13,882 it's currently overrun by Nazis. 41 00:02:13,883 --> 00:02:16,844 The palace is filled with countless treasures, 42 00:02:16,845 --> 00:02:20,013 but the Germans are hunting for the greatest of them all, 43 00:02:20,014 --> 00:02:21,849 a masterpiece so valuable 44 00:02:21,850 --> 00:02:24,810 it's been called "the eighth wonder of the world." 45 00:02:24,811 --> 00:02:28,189 But the Soviets have made it disappear, or at least 46 00:02:28,314 --> 00:02:29,983 they've tried to. 47 00:02:30,108 --> 00:02:33,486 [ripping] 48 00:02:34,863 --> 00:02:36,865 It's here. 49 00:02:36,990 --> 00:02:38,533 I found it. It's here. 50 00:02:43,037 --> 00:02:46,166 Obscured behind wallpaper, the Nazis have discovered 51 00:02:46,291 --> 00:02:48,041 their gilded prize. 52 00:02:48,042 --> 00:02:50,919 The treasure isn't something hidden in the room. 53 00:02:50,920 --> 00:02:54,173 It is the room, a dazzling chamber made of six 54 00:02:54,174 --> 00:02:58,218 tons of hand-carved amber, gold leaf, and gemstones 55 00:02:58,219 --> 00:03:00,929 worth hundreds of millions of dollars. 56 00:03:00,930 --> 00:03:04,183 They will now painstakingly dismantle the world-famous 57 00:03:04,184 --> 00:03:07,061 Amber Room, pack it all into crates, and remove it 58 00:03:07,187 --> 00:03:10,439 from the palace. But then it will vanish. 59 00:03:10,440 --> 00:03:14,776 Some will claim it's destroyed, or perhaps hidden by the Nazis. 60 00:03:14,777 --> 00:03:18,531 But three-quarters of a century later, a new search will give 61 00:03:18,656 --> 00:03:21,617 hope that this colossal lost masterpiece 62 00:03:21,618 --> 00:03:23,661 might finally be recovered. 63 00:03:33,296 --> 00:03:35,547 Its disappearance is mysterious, 64 00:03:35,548 --> 00:03:38,134 but its origins are well known. 65 00:03:39,552 --> 00:03:43,639 In 1701, the first king of Prussia, Frederick I, sets out 66 00:03:43,640 --> 00:03:46,935 to create a room that will dazzle his guests and cement 67 00:03:47,060 --> 00:03:49,479 Prussia's place among Europe's great powers. 68 00:03:51,689 --> 00:03:54,734 He chooses a highly prized material, amber, 69 00:03:54,859 --> 00:03:58,570 fossilized tree resin millions of years old that can be worked 70 00:03:58,571 --> 00:04:01,448 into a glittering orange gemstone. 71 00:04:01,449 --> 00:04:04,786 At the time, high quality amber was more valuable than gold. 72 00:04:05,954 --> 00:04:08,456 In the hands of Prussia's finest artisans, it is 73 00:04:08,581 --> 00:04:11,626 transformed into a masterpiece of craftsmanship 74 00:04:11,751 --> 00:04:13,503 and imperial power. 75 00:04:17,715 --> 00:04:23,679 In 1716, the room's 129 panels are gifted to Russia's tsar 76 00:04:23,680 --> 00:04:24,972 Peter the Great, 77 00:04:24,973 --> 00:04:28,017 solidifying a diplomatic alliance with Prussia. 78 00:04:29,936 --> 00:04:32,437 The panels arrive in St. Petersburg and are 79 00:04:32,438 --> 00:04:34,857 ultimately installed in the Catherine Palace. 80 00:04:36,150 --> 00:04:38,278 The final result is stunning. 81 00:04:38,403 --> 00:04:42,364 Amber carvings gilded in gold, accented with mirrors, 82 00:04:42,365 --> 00:04:45,159 and inset with precious gems and beautiful 83 00:04:45,285 --> 00:04:47,536 Florentine mosaics. 84 00:04:47,537 --> 00:04:52,624 By day, the walls shift in hue from deep honey to fiery gold. 85 00:04:52,625 --> 00:04:57,129 And at night, the flicker of 550 candles makes the room glow 86 00:04:57,130 --> 00:04:59,382 from within, radiant and alive. 87 00:05:01,009 --> 00:05:04,469 Some believe the room is just as beautiful as Versailles' 88 00:05:04,470 --> 00:05:06,806 legendary Hall of Mirrors. 89 00:05:06,931 --> 00:05:09,975 The goal's much the same, to proclaim prestige 90 00:05:09,976 --> 00:05:12,686 and sophistication through a theatrical aura 91 00:05:12,687 --> 00:05:14,105 of divine power. 92 00:05:16,232 --> 00:05:19,192 But to the Nazis 200 years later, 93 00:05:19,193 --> 00:05:22,237 the Amber Room is something else entirely. 94 00:05:22,238 --> 00:05:24,657 They arrogantly believe it's their birthright. 95 00:05:25,825 --> 00:05:28,577 Prussia would go on to become a part of Germany. 96 00:05:28,578 --> 00:05:31,663 And since the Amber Room was created by Prussian craftsmen, 97 00:05:31,664 --> 00:05:35,001 the Nazis believe they have a claim to the prized artifact. 98 00:05:36,169 --> 00:05:37,837 And now they're stealing it. 99 00:05:40,131 --> 00:05:43,342 Within 36 hours of its discovery, the Nazis pack 100 00:05:43,343 --> 00:05:45,720 the room's contents into 27 crates 101 00:05:47,430 --> 00:05:49,682 and ship them by rail to Germany. 102 00:05:49,807 --> 00:05:52,602 [dramatic music plays] 103 00:05:56,022 --> 00:05:58,066 The Amber Room is then reconstructed 104 00:05:58,191 --> 00:06:02,570 at Königsberg Castle in Nazi-occupied territory. 105 00:06:02,695 --> 00:06:05,198 We know it arrives there because the castle's museum 106 00:06:05,323 --> 00:06:08,409 lists it in their records as "Item 200." 107 00:06:08,534 --> 00:06:11,453 It's even put on display for Nazi officials. 108 00:06:11,454 --> 00:06:13,205 [airplane siren blaring] 109 00:06:13,206 --> 00:06:17,751 But by August of 1944, the Nazis are on the defensive. 110 00:06:17,752 --> 00:06:20,879 British bombers hammer Königsberg, reducing much 111 00:06:20,880 --> 00:06:23,383 of the city, including the castle, to rubble. 112 00:06:23,508 --> 00:06:25,967 [deep explosions] 113 00:06:25,968 --> 00:06:29,389 Then, in April 1945, Soviet troops 114 00:06:29,514 --> 00:06:30,723 surround the city. 115 00:06:30,848 --> 00:06:33,935 They fight block-by-block until Germany surrenders. 116 00:06:35,019 --> 00:06:38,231 But in the aftermath, no trace of the treasure-filled crates 117 00:06:38,356 --> 00:06:40,315 are discovered. 118 00:06:40,316 --> 00:06:43,151 Just a month later, a secret Soviet investigation 119 00:06:43,152 --> 00:06:45,530 is launched to locate the Amber Room. 120 00:06:47,073 --> 00:06:49,575 According to declassified documents from the Russian 121 00:06:49,700 --> 00:06:53,120 National Archives, this report concludes that the treasure has 122 00:06:53,121 --> 00:06:56,248 most likely been destroyed, consumed by fire during 123 00:06:56,249 --> 00:06:58,418 the bombing of Königsberg Castle. 124 00:06:58,543 --> 00:07:00,586 So that's the end of the story, right? 125 00:07:00,711 --> 00:07:01,754 Not quite. 126 00:07:01,879 --> 00:07:04,423 No evidence of its destruction is found. 127 00:07:04,424 --> 00:07:07,092 But one man doesn't want to give up easily, 128 00:07:07,093 --> 00:07:10,470 Anatoly Kuchumov, a young Russian museum curator 129 00:07:10,471 --> 00:07:11,848 desperate to make amends. 130 00:07:15,309 --> 00:07:18,311 It was Kuchumov who made the fateful decision to conceal 131 00:07:18,312 --> 00:07:21,649 the Amber Room behind wallpaper in the Catherine Palace 132 00:07:21,774 --> 00:07:23,943 instead of sending it to safety. 133 00:07:24,068 --> 00:07:27,279 Now, with colleagues already sent to the Gulag for failing 134 00:07:27,280 --> 00:07:31,032 to protect Soviet treasures, Kuchumov is determined to find 135 00:07:31,033 --> 00:07:34,328 the remains of the amber panels and save his own skin. 136 00:07:35,663 --> 00:07:38,457 Kuchumov's team heads straight to the charred ruins 137 00:07:38,458 --> 00:07:39,792 of Königsberg Castle. 138 00:07:41,294 --> 00:07:42,836 Sifting through the rubble, they make 139 00:07:42,837 --> 00:07:44,130 a startling discovery. 140 00:07:45,465 --> 00:07:49,177 The damaged remains of three Florentine mosaics that once 141 00:07:49,302 --> 00:07:51,387 adorned the Amber Room's glowing walls. 142 00:07:52,680 --> 00:07:55,682 They were added to the room by Empress Elizabeth of Russia 143 00:07:55,683 --> 00:07:58,685 in the 1750s to replace oil paintings 144 00:07:58,686 --> 00:08:00,896 that originally hung there. 145 00:08:00,897 --> 00:08:03,816 These colorful mosaics were made from natural minerals 146 00:08:03,941 --> 00:08:05,818 and semi-precious stones, 147 00:08:05,943 --> 00:08:09,905 carefully arranged to resemble detailed paintings. 148 00:08:09,906 --> 00:08:12,866 The frames are fashioned from carved and sliced pieces 149 00:08:12,867 --> 00:08:14,702 of amber of various shades. 150 00:08:15,786 --> 00:08:18,872 Though there were originally four mosaics, the remnants 151 00:08:18,873 --> 00:08:21,125 of only three are found among the ruins. 152 00:08:22,210 --> 00:08:24,337 But where is the rest of the Amber Room? 153 00:08:28,341 --> 00:08:31,676 During his investigation, Kuchumov also discovers a cache 154 00:08:31,677 --> 00:08:34,221 of partially burned German letters. 155 00:08:34,222 --> 00:08:37,766 They reveal a Nazi plan to evacuate the amber panels 156 00:08:37,767 --> 00:08:41,186 after the Allied bombings in 1944. 157 00:08:41,187 --> 00:08:44,398 One dated January 12, 1945, 158 00:08:44,524 --> 00:08:47,400 just before the Soviets captured the city, 159 00:08:47,401 --> 00:08:50,196 states the Amber Room was being packed to be moved 160 00:08:50,321 --> 00:08:51,863 far from the front. 161 00:08:51,864 --> 00:08:54,199 This finding gives Kuchumov hope. 162 00:08:54,200 --> 00:08:57,078 There was no trace of the amber wall panels uncovered 163 00:08:57,203 --> 00:08:59,872 in the ashes, only the stone mosaics. 164 00:08:59,997 --> 00:09:02,875 And since the mosaics were designed as four removable 165 00:09:03,000 --> 00:09:06,212 artworks, they were likely packaged separately. 166 00:09:06,337 --> 00:09:09,589 If so, there's a chance the amber walls themselves were 167 00:09:09,590 --> 00:09:12,927 taken out before the flames engulfed the castle. 168 00:09:13,052 --> 00:09:16,389 Anatoly Kuchumov becomes convinced the Amber Room is 169 00:09:16,514 --> 00:09:18,933 still out there waiting to be found. 170 00:09:20,685 --> 00:09:23,229 For the next decade, he leads excavation teams 171 00:09:23,354 --> 00:09:24,771 throughout the region. 172 00:09:24,772 --> 00:09:27,065 Officially, they're prospecting for oil. 173 00:09:27,066 --> 00:09:29,944 Secretly, they spend their days searching ruins, 174 00:09:30,069 --> 00:09:32,112 bunkers, and mines. 175 00:09:32,113 --> 00:09:35,115 But despite years of excavations across the region, 176 00:09:35,116 --> 00:09:41,663 Kuchumov and his team come up with nothing. 177 00:09:41,664 --> 00:09:44,791 In 1958, the Soviet government makes a desperate plea 178 00:09:44,792 --> 00:09:46,752 for new leads. 179 00:09:46,877 --> 00:09:50,630 And the international appeal launches a tidal wave of tips, 180 00:09:50,631 --> 00:09:53,967 theories, and wild speculation, each one pointing 181 00:09:53,968 --> 00:09:55,928 to a different fate for the Amber Room. 182 00:09:58,306 --> 00:10:00,181 [thrilling music plays] 183 00:10:00,182 --> 00:10:03,768 In 2015, I joined the hunt myself, heading to the former 184 00:10:03,769 --> 00:10:07,480 site of Königsberg Castle, where I followed a hot lead, 185 00:10:07,481 --> 00:10:12,653 a recently unearthed letter from a Nazi soldier dated 1945. 186 00:10:12,778 --> 00:10:14,447 It describes a secret shipment. 187 00:10:15,573 --> 00:10:18,784 Four trucks sent from Königsberg to a remote factory 188 00:10:18,909 --> 00:10:21,454 in a small town in Germany called Deutschneudorf. 189 00:10:24,665 --> 00:10:26,125 Hello, Peter, nice to meet you. 190 00:10:26,250 --> 00:10:28,293 - Nice to meet you, too. - What's going on up here? 191 00:10:28,294 --> 00:10:30,337 It seems like you guys have a full-scale operation 192 00:10:30,338 --> 00:10:31,338 going here. 193 00:10:31,339 --> 00:10:33,341 [speaking German] 194 00:10:45,478 --> 00:10:47,479 [translator] Right under our feet, there's a huge network 195 00:10:47,480 --> 00:10:50,358 of mines, and we think it's in one of these mines 196 00:10:50,483 --> 00:10:52,526 underneath the ground. 197 00:10:52,652 --> 00:10:55,321 [Josh] Beneath the factory is an old silver mine. 198 00:10:55,446 --> 00:10:56,988 Here we go. 199 00:10:56,989 --> 00:11:00,200 Miles of twisting tunnels where the Nazis could have easily 200 00:11:00,201 --> 00:11:01,827 stashed the Amber Room crates. 201 00:11:03,329 --> 00:11:04,330 Look at this. 202 00:11:05,539 --> 00:11:07,248 Look at this place. 203 00:11:07,249 --> 00:11:08,750 Are you kidding me? 204 00:11:08,751 --> 00:11:10,043 This is unbelievable! 205 00:11:10,044 --> 00:11:12,338 I mean, this is like "Lord of the Rings" down here. 206 00:11:14,256 --> 00:11:16,175 - Oh, let's go! Let's go! - Oh, back, back, back, back! 207 00:11:17,301 --> 00:11:18,426 Something's a little loose down there. 208 00:11:18,427 --> 00:11:19,845 Here, come on. 209 00:11:19,970 --> 00:11:21,513 Definitely not safe. 210 00:11:21,514 --> 00:11:23,599 [Josh and Haustein panting] 211 00:11:27,186 --> 00:11:30,856 Despite an exhaustive search of the old mine, the Amber Room's 212 00:11:30,981 --> 00:11:33,942 prized panels were nowhere to be found. 213 00:11:33,943 --> 00:11:37,696 But was this because I, like so many others, had been looking 214 00:11:37,697 --> 00:11:39,197 in the wrong place? 215 00:11:39,198 --> 00:11:42,076 Now, a stunning new theory suggests that instead 216 00:11:42,201 --> 00:11:45,538 of hunting on land, we should have been searching at sea. 217 00:11:53,421 --> 00:11:56,381 [ominous music plays] 218 00:11:56,382 --> 00:11:59,300 [Josh] On the hunt for what happened to a priceless treasure, 219 00:11:59,301 --> 00:12:02,471 we find ourselves in April of 1945. 220 00:12:04,056 --> 00:12:07,518 With Soviet forces closing in, the Nazis, on the verge 221 00:12:07,643 --> 00:12:11,396 of defeat, initiate Operation Hannibal, one of the largest 222 00:12:11,397 --> 00:12:13,815 maritime retreats in history. 223 00:12:13,816 --> 00:12:17,026 They frantically evacuate people and possessions on every 224 00:12:17,027 --> 00:12:18,486 ship they can find. 225 00:12:18,487 --> 00:12:21,866 The SS Karlsruhe is departing Königsberg packed 226 00:12:21,991 --> 00:12:24,201 with thousands fleeing in panic. 227 00:12:24,326 --> 00:12:27,871 But could it also be carrying the legendary Amber Room? 228 00:12:27,872 --> 00:12:31,666 If so, this treasure is headed straight for disaster. 229 00:12:31,667 --> 00:12:34,586 [mysterious music plays] 230 00:12:34,587 --> 00:12:37,006 The following morning, Soviet planes strike. 231 00:12:38,591 --> 00:12:41,510 In just three minutes, the Karlsruhe vanishes beneath 232 00:12:41,635 --> 00:12:43,679 the waves off the coast of Poland, 233 00:12:43,804 --> 00:12:46,974 taking a thousand lives and all of its secrets with it. 234 00:12:49,643 --> 00:12:52,103 Could the wreck of the SS Karlsruhe have 235 00:12:52,104 --> 00:12:55,398 secretly carried the long lost Amber Room? 236 00:12:55,399 --> 00:12:58,610 In 2020, the wreck was located in the Baltic Sea, 237 00:12:58,611 --> 00:13:01,030 and in the years since, divers have been searching 238 00:13:01,155 --> 00:13:04,074 the sunken vessel for any trace of the treasure. 239 00:13:04,200 --> 00:13:07,203 Historian Martin Morgan has been following their efforts. 240 00:13:08,871 --> 00:13:12,624 The Amber Room is a great piece of World War II 241 00:13:12,625 --> 00:13:17,212 mystery and mythology, its complete loss is something 242 00:13:17,213 --> 00:13:20,049 that the world is still lamenting because we're still 243 00:13:20,174 --> 00:13:21,175 looking for it. 244 00:13:23,260 --> 00:13:25,261 Divers are sent down to the wreck. 245 00:13:25,262 --> 00:13:27,890 In the debris field, they find an intact 246 00:13:28,015 --> 00:13:31,101 military vehicle, they find porcelainware, 247 00:13:31,227 --> 00:13:35,563 and then also they find, in a cargo hold, a very large 248 00:13:35,564 --> 00:13:37,440 number of wooden crates. 249 00:13:37,441 --> 00:13:41,570 Those wooden crates stand out as suspicious because 250 00:13:41,695 --> 00:13:43,072 the question immediately arises, 251 00:13:43,197 --> 00:13:44,949 what are the crates carrying? 252 00:13:45,074 --> 00:13:47,409 But fully exploring a shipwreck at a depth 253 00:13:47,535 --> 00:13:50,120 of 290 feet isn't easy. 254 00:13:50,246 --> 00:13:53,081 Searching most of the ship takes over a hundred dives 255 00:13:53,082 --> 00:13:54,458 with technical divers 256 00:13:54,583 --> 00:13:57,211 and the latest remote submersible technology. 257 00:13:59,088 --> 00:14:02,298 [Morgan] Then eventually they discover a crate that appears 258 00:14:02,299 --> 00:14:04,760 much better built than all of the others. 259 00:14:04,885 --> 00:14:08,973 One that is a bit more ornate in its construction and that 260 00:14:09,098 --> 00:14:12,767 immediately attracts attention, because this could be it. 261 00:14:12,768 --> 00:14:16,271 This could be the moment of discovery of the Amber Room. 262 00:14:16,272 --> 00:14:18,982 When they open the crate, they're hoping to be greeted 263 00:14:18,983 --> 00:14:23,695 by something that glows with this amber hue, this warmth, 264 00:14:23,696 --> 00:14:26,282 because after all, even underwater, it will not be 265 00:14:26,407 --> 00:14:28,533 dulled by the passage of time. 266 00:14:28,534 --> 00:14:31,286 But they crack it open, expecting to be greeted 267 00:14:31,287 --> 00:14:35,833 by this amazing reveal, only to find that inside the crate is 268 00:14:35,958 --> 00:14:37,626 a coiled U-boat cable. 269 00:14:37,751 --> 00:14:40,169 This is a valuable artifact, and it's very interesting 270 00:14:40,170 --> 00:14:43,214 in and of itself, but it's no Amber Room. 271 00:14:43,215 --> 00:14:46,677 The team's search has been extensive, but is not complete. 272 00:14:46,802 --> 00:14:49,513 There are still parts of the ship to be explored, 273 00:14:49,638 --> 00:14:52,641 but for now, all diving on the wreck is tightly controlled 274 00:14:52,766 --> 00:14:54,018 by the Polish government. 275 00:14:55,102 --> 00:14:58,855 Exploration of this wreck site comes to an official stop 276 00:14:58,856 --> 00:15:01,065 when it is declared a "war grave." 277 00:15:01,066 --> 00:15:03,318 With that declaration, 278 00:15:03,319 --> 00:15:06,029 no further dives can be conducted because the lives 279 00:15:06,030 --> 00:15:09,491 of almost a thousand people ended when that ship was sunk. 280 00:15:11,827 --> 00:15:15,371 So far, no evidence has been found that Amber Room was 281 00:15:15,372 --> 00:15:20,043 packed aboard Karlsruhe, but not every last corner 282 00:15:20,044 --> 00:15:22,003 and every last cargo hold of the ship 283 00:15:22,004 --> 00:15:23,713 has yet been explored. 284 00:15:23,714 --> 00:15:26,716 If the Amber Room survived World War II, it might be 285 00:15:26,717 --> 00:15:27,885 aboard the ship after all. 286 00:15:28,928 --> 00:15:31,013 I certainly hope it's still out there, and I hope that we 287 00:15:31,138 --> 00:15:33,681 find it, because I'd love to live long enough 288 00:15:33,682 --> 00:15:36,018 to see it installed at the Catherine Palace again. 289 00:15:38,145 --> 00:15:40,898 [Josh] Although the wreck has yet to produce the Amber Room, 290 00:15:41,023 --> 00:15:44,776 another small part of the treasure has been found. 291 00:15:44,777 --> 00:15:48,404 In 1997, the last of its four mosaics was discovered 292 00:15:48,405 --> 00:15:52,408 in Bremen, Germany, in the home of a Nazi soldier's son. 293 00:15:52,409 --> 00:15:53,869 As for the rest of the original, 294 00:15:53,994 --> 00:15:56,621 was it destroyed in the fires of war? 295 00:15:56,622 --> 00:15:59,290 Is it sealed inside a sunken ship? 296 00:15:59,291 --> 00:16:02,586 Or is it still hidden somewhere else in Europe? 297 00:16:02,711 --> 00:16:03,879 The hunt continues. 298 00:16:04,004 --> 00:16:07,257 In the last year alone, dozens of new leads have been 299 00:16:07,383 --> 00:16:10,760 reported, from a cave system in Dresden, Germany 300 00:16:10,761 --> 00:16:13,221 to a former SS training ground in Poland. 301 00:16:13,222 --> 00:16:15,056 So stay tuned. 302 00:16:15,057 --> 00:16:17,475 One day, we might just be reunited 303 00:16:17,476 --> 00:16:19,937 with the Eighth Wonder of the World. 304 00:16:23,107 --> 00:16:25,483 [eerie music plays] 305 00:16:25,484 --> 00:16:28,070 We turn our attention now to a very different kind 306 00:16:28,195 --> 00:16:31,073 of treasure, a digital fortune that could be 307 00:16:31,198 --> 00:16:32,616 right under my feet. 308 00:16:32,741 --> 00:16:34,617 The year is 2017, and you'll have 309 00:16:34,618 --> 00:16:36,120 to excuse the smell. 310 00:16:36,245 --> 00:16:38,663 I'm just outside the city of Newport, Wales, 311 00:16:38,664 --> 00:16:41,290 and this is one of the largest waste sites in the country, 312 00:16:41,291 --> 00:16:43,418 the Docksway Landfill. 313 00:16:43,419 --> 00:16:45,462 The guy rummaging through the trash there, 314 00:16:45,587 --> 00:16:47,964 that's computer engineer James Howells. 315 00:16:47,965 --> 00:16:50,592 He's desperately hunting for one of his old hard drives. 316 00:16:50,718 --> 00:16:52,010 Why? 317 00:16:52,011 --> 00:16:54,638 Well, because it's worth a billion dollars. 318 00:16:54,763 --> 00:16:56,681 But James faces two big problems. 319 00:16:56,682 --> 00:16:58,641 Five million square feet of garbage 320 00:16:58,642 --> 00:17:00,101 and the fact that the city 321 00:17:00,102 --> 00:17:02,478 refuses to let him properly search it. 322 00:17:02,479 --> 00:17:05,940 So how does an old hard drive become worth so much? 323 00:17:05,941 --> 00:17:08,485 And why won't the authorities let him find it? 324 00:17:08,610 --> 00:17:11,988 In this maddening case of the lost Bitcoin billion. 325 00:17:11,989 --> 00:17:15,325 One man's trash really is that same man's treasure. 326 00:17:19,955 --> 00:17:23,291 [mysterious music plays] 327 00:17:23,292 --> 00:17:25,669 To understand James' story, first we have 328 00:17:25,794 --> 00:17:27,296 to understand Bitcoin. 329 00:17:27,421 --> 00:17:29,130 And nobody really understands Bitcoin. 330 00:17:29,131 --> 00:17:32,175 But the basic idea is that Bitcoin is an electronic 331 00:17:32,176 --> 00:17:34,802 currency invented by a mysterious character 332 00:17:34,803 --> 00:17:37,306 with the pseudonym Satoshi Nakamoto. 333 00:17:37,431 --> 00:17:41,225 Instead of cold-hard cash, Bitcoin is a digital asset, 334 00:17:41,226 --> 00:17:44,021 basically a really, really long string of numbers traded 335 00:17:44,146 --> 00:17:45,689 over the Internet. 336 00:17:45,814 --> 00:17:48,733 But here's where it gets really interesting. 337 00:17:48,734 --> 00:17:50,986 Unlike dollars, Bitcoin isn't printed. 338 00:17:51,111 --> 00:17:52,362 It's mined. 339 00:17:52,488 --> 00:17:54,156 Think of it like digital gold. 340 00:17:54,281 --> 00:17:57,200 Instead of picks and shovels, miners use high-powered 341 00:17:57,201 --> 00:18:00,496 computers to solve complex math puzzles that approve 342 00:18:00,621 --> 00:18:02,247 all Bitcoin transactions. 343 00:18:03,832 --> 00:18:06,751 To incentivize doing this, miners are rewarded 344 00:18:06,752 --> 00:18:08,045 in brand-new Bitcoins. 345 00:18:09,755 --> 00:18:12,590 And since there'll only ever be 21 million of them, 346 00:18:12,591 --> 00:18:13,925 they're scarce. 347 00:18:13,926 --> 00:18:16,220 Just like real gold, only online. 348 00:18:17,763 --> 00:18:20,431 Once Bitcoin is mined, it automatically gets put 349 00:18:20,432 --> 00:18:22,351 in that person's digital wallet. 350 00:18:22,476 --> 00:18:24,728 This wallet lives online and they can access it 351 00:18:24,853 --> 00:18:27,397 from anywhere or trade it to other buyers. 352 00:18:27,523 --> 00:18:30,733 But to keep the wallet secure, it's protected by an extremely 353 00:18:30,734 --> 00:18:32,194 complicated password. 354 00:18:32,319 --> 00:18:35,030 So people usually save this "key" digitally, 355 00:18:35,155 --> 00:18:36,864 like on a hard drive. 356 00:18:36,865 --> 00:18:39,034 The only problem is, if you lose the hard drive 357 00:18:39,159 --> 00:18:41,077 or, say, throw it in the garbage, 358 00:18:41,078 --> 00:18:43,580 you lose access to your Bitcoin forever, 359 00:18:43,705 --> 00:18:45,833 which is exactly what happens to James Howells. 360 00:18:47,167 --> 00:18:50,878 [upbeat music plays] 361 00:18:50,879 --> 00:18:54,048 Born and raised in Newport, Wales, James has been tinkering 362 00:18:54,049 --> 00:18:56,093 with computers his whole life. 363 00:18:56,218 --> 00:19:00,096 In 2009, he's working as a successful IT professional 364 00:19:00,097 --> 00:19:02,724 and living with his girlfriend, Hafina Eddy-Evans. 365 00:19:05,394 --> 00:19:08,563 One morning, he reads an online forum about a new thing 366 00:19:08,564 --> 00:19:09,565 called "Bitcoin." 367 00:19:10,607 --> 00:19:13,609 At the time, it's a novelty currency, perhaps fewer 368 00:19:13,610 --> 00:19:15,946 than 100 people even knew of it. 369 00:19:16,071 --> 00:19:18,115 James finds it intriguing and decides to give 370 00:19:18,240 --> 00:19:19,241 mining a shot. 371 00:19:20,242 --> 00:19:22,994 Over the next few nights, his computer produces 372 00:19:22,995 --> 00:19:25,163 roughly 8,000 Bitcoin. 373 00:19:25,164 --> 00:19:28,457 He adds them to a digital wallet and stores the password 374 00:19:28,458 --> 00:19:29,877 on his laptop's hard drive. 375 00:19:31,587 --> 00:19:33,337 The following year, in 2010, 376 00:19:33,338 --> 00:19:35,923 James spills lemonade on the laptop. 377 00:19:35,924 --> 00:19:37,925 Whoops! 378 00:19:37,926 --> 00:19:40,595 So he takes the hard drive out to preserve it and throws it 379 00:19:40,596 --> 00:19:42,097 in a drawer of broken tech. 380 00:19:43,599 --> 00:19:46,142 It's a seemingly inconsequential moment. 381 00:19:46,143 --> 00:19:49,020 After all, at this time, Bitcoin is nearly worthless, 382 00:19:49,021 --> 00:19:51,481 so the drive is hardly a precious object. 383 00:19:53,442 --> 00:19:56,820 But it's this choice that will forever alter James' destiny. 384 00:19:59,281 --> 00:20:00,823 Fast forward three years later 385 00:20:00,824 --> 00:20:03,827 to January 2013. 386 00:20:03,952 --> 00:20:06,955 Bitcoin, once the plaything of coders and crypto nerds, 387 00:20:07,080 --> 00:20:08,790 starts climbing in value. 388 00:20:08,916 --> 00:20:11,792 By the end of January, it's worth about 13 bucks 389 00:20:11,793 --> 00:20:14,004 a coin, but it keeps going. 390 00:20:14,129 --> 00:20:18,132 And by April, a single Bitcoin is worth $200. 391 00:20:18,133 --> 00:20:20,343 Why is the value rising? 392 00:20:20,344 --> 00:20:22,845 Because Bitcoin is traded like stocks. 393 00:20:22,846 --> 00:20:26,516 And by 2013, people are buying it, including big players 394 00:20:26,642 --> 00:20:29,686 like hedge funds and financial institutions. 395 00:20:29,811 --> 00:20:32,439 In short, the world has officially taken notice. 396 00:20:34,399 --> 00:20:35,651 James has, too. 397 00:20:35,776 --> 00:20:38,654 He remembers the hard drive from years earlier that holds 398 00:20:38,779 --> 00:20:42,699 the password to his forgotten stash of 8,000 Bitcoin, 399 00:20:42,824 --> 00:20:47,871 a drive that he realizes is now worth over $1.5 million. 400 00:20:47,996 --> 00:20:50,331 That is, if he can find it. 401 00:20:50,332 --> 00:20:52,416 He frantically searches his home office, 402 00:20:52,417 --> 00:20:57,213 looking high and low, and then a sickening reality sinks in. 403 00:20:57,214 --> 00:21:00,216 Remember that drive pulled from his laptop that got thrown 404 00:21:00,217 --> 00:21:01,677 into a drawer of junk? 405 00:21:01,802 --> 00:21:04,262 Well, at some point, James' girlfriend was cleaning up 406 00:21:04,263 --> 00:21:07,056 the house, gathered a big pile of what she thought 407 00:21:07,057 --> 00:21:10,102 was junk, including the drive, and threw it in the trash. 408 00:21:11,353 --> 00:21:13,855 The trash then made its way to the local landfill, 409 00:21:13,981 --> 00:21:16,942 mixed in with thousands of tons of household waste. 410 00:21:18,485 --> 00:21:21,237 The simple act of taking out the trash has become 411 00:21:21,238 --> 00:21:22,698 a million-dollar mistake. 412 00:21:24,199 --> 00:21:26,910 James will embark on a relentless quest 413 00:21:27,035 --> 00:21:28,869 in a desperate attempt to reclaim 414 00:21:28,870 --> 00:21:30,705 his thrown-away fortune. 415 00:21:30,706 --> 00:21:33,041 But can the missing Bitcoin be found? 416 00:21:40,382 --> 00:21:42,800 Computer engineer James Howells loses a hard drive loaded 417 00:21:42,801 --> 00:21:46,346 with a fortune in Bitcoin, and it ends up buried deep 418 00:21:46,471 --> 00:21:48,222 in a mountain of waste. 419 00:21:48,223 --> 00:21:51,852 This bizarre twist of digital fortune quickly becomes 420 00:21:51,977 --> 00:21:54,980 a media sensation around the world. 421 00:21:55,105 --> 00:21:57,398 [reporter] James, I'm sure there's an awful lot of people feeling 422 00:21:57,399 --> 00:22:00,152 for you right now. How do you feel stood here? 423 00:22:00,277 --> 00:22:03,155 Well, absolutely devastated, as you can imagine. 424 00:22:03,280 --> 00:22:05,324 When I went up to the landfill site yesterday, 425 00:22:05,449 --> 00:22:07,492 there's a potential to find the drive. 426 00:22:07,617 --> 00:22:09,201 Is it still working? 427 00:22:09,202 --> 00:22:10,870 Can the data be recovered? 428 00:22:10,871 --> 00:22:12,038 I have no idea. 429 00:22:12,039 --> 00:22:14,540 I just wish I could go back in time and not throw 430 00:22:14,541 --> 00:22:16,542 that drive away. 431 00:22:16,543 --> 00:22:19,171 For years, author and crypto expert Tony Edward 432 00:22:19,296 --> 00:22:20,672 has followed the saga. 433 00:22:21,631 --> 00:22:25,218 When I first heard about James' story, I was blown away 434 00:22:25,344 --> 00:22:29,430 because the amount of Bitcoin that he had mined, even certain 435 00:22:29,431 --> 00:22:32,183 institutions don't have that amount of Bitcoin, 436 00:22:32,184 --> 00:22:35,687 but one individual had that, and it's life-changing money. 437 00:22:37,356 --> 00:22:39,191 I really feel for James. 438 00:22:39,316 --> 00:22:41,860 This whole situation could have been avoided if James 439 00:22:41,985 --> 00:22:46,530 wrote down his private keys on a piece of paper and put it 440 00:22:46,531 --> 00:22:49,368 in a safe or a safety deposit box. 441 00:22:50,535 --> 00:22:52,286 But he put it on a hard drive, 442 00:22:52,287 --> 00:22:54,206 and that hard drive is unfortunately lost. 443 00:22:56,792 --> 00:22:58,542 In November of 2013, 444 00:22:58,543 --> 00:23:00,753 he approaches the Newport City Council 445 00:23:00,754 --> 00:23:03,006 with a plan to excavate the landfill. 446 00:23:04,091 --> 00:23:06,385 By this point, his Bitcoin value has jumped 447 00:23:06,510 --> 00:23:11,055 to $6 million, but the council rejects his plan, even when 448 00:23:11,056 --> 00:23:14,267 he offers to cover the cost himself, because excavating 449 00:23:14,393 --> 00:23:17,603 a landfill is a serious environmental risk. 450 00:23:17,604 --> 00:23:21,400 Hazardous waste, methane gas, possible contamination... 451 00:23:21,525 --> 00:23:22,817 you name it. 452 00:23:22,818 --> 00:23:25,612 And you can imagine the people in the community are probably 453 00:23:25,737 --> 00:23:29,074 not fans of this either, because they could be affected 454 00:23:29,199 --> 00:23:32,077 by any type of environmental risk. 455 00:23:32,202 --> 00:23:34,954 And while I appreciate what James is trying to do, 456 00:23:34,955 --> 00:23:38,082 because if I were in his shoes, I would be doing the same thing, 457 00:23:38,083 --> 00:23:39,960 but it's not just about James. 458 00:23:40,085 --> 00:23:42,754 It's about the community, and the folks on the council 459 00:23:42,879 --> 00:23:45,589 at the landfill are definitely thinking about that. 460 00:23:45,590 --> 00:23:48,301 [Josh] But James isn't ready to throw in the towel. 461 00:23:48,427 --> 00:23:51,971 He is dead-set on convincing the council to grant him access 462 00:23:51,972 --> 00:23:52,973 to the site. 463 00:23:54,349 --> 00:23:57,518 He rallies support from hedge fund backers, offering them 464 00:23:57,519 --> 00:24:00,146 a percentage of the fortune if he ever recovers 465 00:24:00,147 --> 00:24:02,189 the lost Bitcoin. 466 00:24:02,190 --> 00:24:04,942 Now, armed with ever more high-tech proposals, 467 00:24:04,943 --> 00:24:07,945 he returns to the council with a new search approach 468 00:24:07,946 --> 00:24:09,781 featuring drone mapping, 469 00:24:09,906 --> 00:24:12,284 AI-powered waste analysis, 470 00:24:12,409 --> 00:24:16,329 methane containment systems, and even robotic dogs, 471 00:24:17,456 --> 00:24:19,291 all in the name of digital treasure. 472 00:24:20,459 --> 00:24:23,170 Then he sweetens the deal, offering the council 473 00:24:23,295 --> 00:24:26,046 and the town a generous cut of the profits 474 00:24:26,047 --> 00:24:28,215 potentially worth millions. 475 00:24:28,216 --> 00:24:32,553 The council deliberates, but again, their answer is no. 476 00:24:32,554 --> 00:24:36,975 By 2023, the value of James' lost Bitcoin has skyrocketed 477 00:24:37,100 --> 00:24:39,853 to over half a billion dollars. 478 00:24:39,978 --> 00:24:42,313 With polite proposals getting him nowhere, 479 00:24:42,314 --> 00:24:45,983 he changes tactics, going full-throttle and filing 480 00:24:45,984 --> 00:24:51,363 a lawsuit against the city to the tune of $647 million 481 00:24:51,364 --> 00:24:53,032 in US currency. 482 00:24:53,033 --> 00:24:55,035 The gloves are off. 483 00:24:55,160 --> 00:24:58,496 Over the next two years, the courtroom drama drags on 484 00:24:58,497 --> 00:25:01,165 like a download over a dial-up connection. 485 00:25:01,166 --> 00:25:04,585 All the while, the value of James' Bitcoin goes higher 486 00:25:04,586 --> 00:25:07,713 and higher, from hundreds of millions to approaching 487 00:25:07,714 --> 00:25:09,341 a billion dollars. 488 00:25:09,466 --> 00:25:13,011 But in January of 2025, a judge pulls the plug, 489 00:25:13,136 --> 00:25:14,512 ruling that James has 490 00:25:14,513 --> 00:25:17,681 "no realistic prospect of succeeding." 491 00:25:17,682 --> 00:25:21,060 James appeals to the highest court in the UK, but in March 492 00:25:21,061 --> 00:25:23,688 of 2025, they also say no. 493 00:25:23,813 --> 00:25:25,023 Game over. 494 00:25:25,148 --> 00:25:26,399 Or is it? 495 00:25:27,943 --> 00:25:30,529 [Edward] So James, over the years, has been very persistent. 496 00:25:30,654 --> 00:25:33,697 He's trying everything and anything to gain access 497 00:25:33,698 --> 00:25:34,699 to this landfill. 498 00:25:34,824 --> 00:25:37,410 But up till now, the council has denied 499 00:25:37,536 --> 00:25:38,953 all of his proposals. 500 00:25:38,954 --> 00:25:40,913 He's lost in the courts. 501 00:25:40,914 --> 00:25:42,374 It's an arduous process. 502 00:25:43,375 --> 00:25:49,214 And so his last-ditch effort is to try to buy the landfill. 503 00:25:49,339 --> 00:25:53,760 And that way, he can dig it all up without any red tape 504 00:25:53,885 --> 00:25:56,555 or roadblocks from the local government. 505 00:25:56,680 --> 00:26:00,307 The city ignores James' attempts to buy the landfill, 506 00:26:00,308 --> 00:26:04,478 and after his legal actions failed, now insists James owes 507 00:26:04,479 --> 00:26:07,566 $150,000 in legal fees. 508 00:26:07,691 --> 00:26:09,608 The big question remains... 509 00:26:09,609 --> 00:26:12,737 Even if James were to get permission, could he actually 510 00:26:12,862 --> 00:26:15,907 find the drive in all that trash? 511 00:26:16,032 --> 00:26:18,784 On its face, this is a crazy idea. 512 00:26:18,785 --> 00:26:22,830 To try to go unearth tons of garbage 513 00:26:22,831 --> 00:26:24,623 and to go through that 514 00:26:24,624 --> 00:26:27,586 and all types of nasty stuff. 515 00:26:27,711 --> 00:26:31,505 This is the biggest needle-in-the-haystack problem. 516 00:26:31,506 --> 00:26:34,633 One UK waste management company says the odds of finding 517 00:26:34,634 --> 00:26:38,971 this hard drive is one in 902 million. 518 00:26:38,972 --> 00:26:43,935 But with the slim chance of finding that hard drive 519 00:26:44,060 --> 00:26:47,521 and getting access to what could be billions of dollars 520 00:26:47,522 --> 00:26:52,192 as Bitcoin continues to grow in value, it's worth it. 521 00:26:52,193 --> 00:26:55,113 But by August of 2025, with the city council 522 00:26:55,238 --> 00:26:58,449 continuing to ignore his proposal, James finally 523 00:26:58,450 --> 00:27:00,952 gives up on his bid to buy the landfill. 524 00:27:01,077 --> 00:27:03,622 But he isn't done with his quest to make a fortune. 525 00:27:03,747 --> 00:27:04,997 His new plan? 526 00:27:04,998 --> 00:27:07,875 Forget diving through millions of pounds of garbage. 527 00:27:07,876 --> 00:27:10,962 Instead, he he's going to create a cryptocurrency 528 00:27:11,087 --> 00:27:13,339 of his own. Best of luck, James! 529 00:27:13,340 --> 00:27:15,675 Oh, and if your new currency does take off, 530 00:27:15,800 --> 00:27:18,303 one word of advice, hold on to your hard drive. 531 00:27:21,890 --> 00:27:25,309 [intriguing music plays] 532 00:27:25,310 --> 00:27:27,019 It's 940 B.C. 533 00:27:27,020 --> 00:27:28,688 And as far as traveling through time 534 00:27:28,813 --> 00:27:31,650 and space goes, I've hit the jackpot. 535 00:27:31,775 --> 00:27:34,653 I'm currently standing inside what is perhaps the richest 536 00:27:34,778 --> 00:27:37,071 treasure vault in human history. 537 00:27:37,072 --> 00:27:39,198 And it all belongs to this guy. 538 00:27:39,199 --> 00:27:41,408 The biblical King Solomon. 539 00:27:41,409 --> 00:27:45,038 We're standing in his palace, but you might be more familiar 540 00:27:45,163 --> 00:27:47,165 with where all this bling came from. 541 00:27:47,290 --> 00:27:50,042 King Solomon's mines, which overflow 542 00:27:50,043 --> 00:27:52,169 with gold and diamonds. 543 00:27:52,170 --> 00:27:55,172 But what's the reality behind his immense wealth? 544 00:27:55,173 --> 00:27:57,925 Well, for millennia, no one has found solid evidence 545 00:27:57,926 --> 00:28:01,221 of the legendary mines. That is, until now. 546 00:28:08,728 --> 00:28:11,564 [thrilling music plays] 547 00:28:11,690 --> 00:28:14,274 According to the Old Testament, Solomon, 548 00:28:14,275 --> 00:28:16,903 the son of King David, ascends to the throne of Israel 549 00:28:17,028 --> 00:28:18,446 in the 10th century B.C. 550 00:28:19,781 --> 00:28:22,909 [royal music plays] 551 00:28:25,704 --> 00:28:28,789 The Bible tells us that God appears to him in a dream 552 00:28:28,790 --> 00:28:30,792 and offers him anything he desires. 553 00:28:32,752 --> 00:28:35,547 Solomon asks for wisdom to govern justly. 554 00:28:38,383 --> 00:28:41,052 Pleased with this humble request, God grants him 555 00:28:41,177 --> 00:28:42,387 exceptional wisdom... 556 00:28:43,596 --> 00:28:45,473 along with great wealth and honor. 557 00:28:46,933 --> 00:28:49,602 And in 1 Kings, chapter three, we find the most famous 558 00:28:49,728 --> 00:28:51,938 demonstration of that wisdom. 559 00:28:52,063 --> 00:28:54,440 [indistinct chatter] 560 00:28:54,441 --> 00:28:57,401 Two women come before him, each claiming to be the mother 561 00:28:57,402 --> 00:28:59,279 of the same child. 562 00:28:59,404 --> 00:29:01,739 To reveal the truth, Solomon proposes 563 00:29:01,740 --> 00:29:04,075 an unthinkable solution, 564 00:29:04,200 --> 00:29:07,203 cutting the baby in two and giving each woman half. 565 00:29:11,666 --> 00:29:14,586 The real mother immediately offers to surrender the child 566 00:29:14,711 --> 00:29:17,087 rather than see him harmed, revealing her 567 00:29:17,088 --> 00:29:18,506 as the true parent. 568 00:29:21,259 --> 00:29:24,344 But according to the Bible, King Solomon's greatest legacy 569 00:29:24,345 --> 00:29:25,972 isn't just his legendary wisdom, 570 00:29:27,182 --> 00:29:28,933 but the vast wealth he amasses, 571 00:29:31,019 --> 00:29:35,022 which he uses to construct the first temple in Jerusalem. 572 00:29:35,023 --> 00:29:38,609 An architectural and spiritual marvel, the Bible offers 573 00:29:38,610 --> 00:29:41,862 detailed descriptions of the lavish materials used 574 00:29:41,863 --> 00:29:42,864 in its construction. 575 00:29:44,282 --> 00:29:47,494 Monumental bronze columns flank the entrance. 576 00:29:47,619 --> 00:29:51,497 A massive ceremonial basin known as the "Sea of Cast Metal" 577 00:29:51,498 --> 00:29:53,833 adorns the courtyard. 578 00:29:53,958 --> 00:29:57,711 And inside, a sanctuary with gold-lined walls is said 579 00:29:57,712 --> 00:30:00,130 to have held the Ark of the Covenant, 580 00:30:00,131 --> 00:30:02,801 the sacred chest containing the Ten Commandments. 581 00:30:04,302 --> 00:30:07,513 And the temple isn't his only grand construction. 582 00:30:07,514 --> 00:30:10,974 Solomon reigns from his royal palace in Jerusalem, 583 00:30:10,975 --> 00:30:13,852 a treasure-filled sanctum with cedar pillars, 584 00:30:13,853 --> 00:30:16,523 which takes 13 years to build. 585 00:30:16,648 --> 00:30:19,149 And this brings us back to the incredible source 586 00:30:19,150 --> 00:30:22,194 of his wealth, King Solomon's mines. 587 00:30:22,195 --> 00:30:23,363 There's just one hiccup. 588 00:30:23,488 --> 00:30:25,156 The Bible makes no mention of them. 589 00:30:26,908 --> 00:30:30,036 It does make reference to copper quarrying in the Holy Land 590 00:30:30,161 --> 00:30:33,206 and describes a mysterious kingdom called Ophir 591 00:30:33,331 --> 00:30:35,124 as a source of Solomon's wealth. 592 00:30:36,334 --> 00:30:39,044 But the text gives no hint of Ophir's location 593 00:30:39,045 --> 00:30:42,548 or the legendary gold and diamond mines we associate 594 00:30:42,549 --> 00:30:44,341 with Solomon today. 595 00:30:44,342 --> 00:30:47,845 In fact, the first time we hear about actual mines is almost 596 00:30:47,846 --> 00:30:53,016 3,000 years later, in the 1885 novel "King Solomon's Mines," 597 00:30:53,017 --> 00:30:55,102 by H. Rider Haggard. 598 00:30:55,103 --> 00:30:58,690 The story follows the fictional exploits of Allan Quatermain, 599 00:30:58,815 --> 00:31:02,067 a hunter hired to lead a search for Solomon's legendary 600 00:31:02,068 --> 00:31:03,611 source of wealth in Africa. 601 00:31:05,029 --> 00:31:08,073 So, is it all just a literary invention? 602 00:31:08,074 --> 00:31:09,200 Well, not so fast. 603 00:31:10,535 --> 00:31:13,746 In the 19th century, European explorers venture deep 604 00:31:13,872 --> 00:31:17,375 into southern Africa in search of the site of the mines 605 00:31:17,500 --> 00:31:20,878 and stumble upon something extraordinary, 606 00:31:20,879 --> 00:31:23,631 the massive stone ruins of Great Zimbabwe, 607 00:31:25,216 --> 00:31:28,428 a mysterious ancient city surrounded by abandoned 608 00:31:28,553 --> 00:31:30,096 gold mines. 609 00:31:30,221 --> 00:31:32,222 One structure, the Great Enclosure, 610 00:31:32,223 --> 00:31:35,560 they say, bears similarities to biblical descriptions 611 00:31:35,685 --> 00:31:38,937 of Solomon's Temple in Jerusalem. 612 00:31:38,938 --> 00:31:42,358 Suddenly, the world is buzzing with a thrilling possibility. 613 00:31:44,360 --> 00:31:47,071 Had they found the lost kingdom of Ophir, 614 00:31:47,196 --> 00:31:50,450 the source of King Solomon's legendary wealth? 615 00:31:50,575 --> 00:31:54,120 [epic music plays] 616 00:32:01,961 --> 00:32:06,215 [Josh] A stunning archaeological find in Africa, ornate stone ruins 617 00:32:06,341 --> 00:32:10,053 unlike anything seen before, leads many to believe they've 618 00:32:10,178 --> 00:32:13,723 uncovered the lost city of Ophir, the legendary source 619 00:32:13,848 --> 00:32:15,391 of King Solomon's mines. 620 00:32:16,517 --> 00:32:20,355 But in time, the site known as "Great Zimbabwe" is revealed 621 00:32:20,480 --> 00:32:25,067 to not be a relic of Solomon's empire at all, but the legacy 622 00:32:25,068 --> 00:32:28,070 of the Shona people, an advanced African 623 00:32:28,071 --> 00:32:31,574 civilization that flourished around the 11th century, 624 00:32:31,699 --> 00:32:34,577 nearly 2,000 years after Solomon's reign. 625 00:32:35,828 --> 00:32:38,915 Even so, the myth refused to fade. 626 00:32:39,040 --> 00:32:41,917 The dream of discovering the source of Solomon's hidden 627 00:32:41,918 --> 00:32:46,129 riches continued to fuel imaginations around the world, 628 00:32:46,130 --> 00:32:50,093 which brings us back to H. Rider Haggard's 1885 novel, 629 00:32:50,218 --> 00:32:51,761 "King Solomon's Mines." 630 00:32:53,846 --> 00:32:57,641 The book is an international mega-hit, eventually spawning 631 00:32:57,642 --> 00:33:01,144 more than a dozen novels and at least seven films, 632 00:33:01,145 --> 00:33:04,399 not to mention serving as a template for "Indiana Jones." 633 00:33:04,524 --> 00:33:08,318 It also inspires a generation of explorers, many of whom 634 00:33:08,319 --> 00:33:10,405 continue to search for Solomon's treasure. 635 00:33:12,782 --> 00:33:15,243 Enter Timna Valley, 636 00:33:15,368 --> 00:33:19,121 a rugged, sun-scorched stretch of desert in southern Israel, 637 00:33:19,122 --> 00:33:21,498 just 200 miles from Jerusalem, 638 00:33:21,499 --> 00:33:24,459 the seat of Solomon's biblical kingdom. 639 00:33:24,460 --> 00:33:28,296 On the surface, it looks like little more than rock and sand. 640 00:33:28,297 --> 00:33:30,717 But beneath it? A very different story. 641 00:33:33,678 --> 00:33:36,596 In the 1930s, archaeologist Nelson Glueck 642 00:33:36,597 --> 00:33:39,934 discovers massive ancient copper quarries in the valley. 643 00:33:40,935 --> 00:33:43,813 While the Bible doesn't name Timna, it does mention 644 00:33:43,938 --> 00:33:47,274 Solomon's extensive use of copper, which was alloyed 645 00:33:47,275 --> 00:33:51,070 with tin to produce the bronze used in his temple and palace. 646 00:33:52,113 --> 00:33:54,323 Copper might not sound glamorous today, 647 00:33:54,449 --> 00:33:57,160 but in the ancient world, it's a big deal. 648 00:33:57,285 --> 00:34:00,495 Copper is essential to making tools and weapons. 649 00:34:00,496 --> 00:34:04,791 It is a cornerstone of trade and the backbone of empires. 650 00:34:04,792 --> 00:34:07,503 Suddenly, Timna isn't just a pit in the sand... 651 00:34:07,628 --> 00:34:10,506 It's a possible engine of Solomon's immense wealth. 652 00:34:13,342 --> 00:34:15,844 Nelson Glueck boldly dubs the site 653 00:34:15,845 --> 00:34:18,055 "The Real King Solomon's Mines," 654 00:34:18,056 --> 00:34:19,974 but many dismiss his claims 655 00:34:20,099 --> 00:34:23,060 since he can't produce definitive evidence to tie 656 00:34:23,061 --> 00:34:25,854 the site to the famed biblical king. 657 00:34:25,855 --> 00:34:28,231 But here's where things get interesting. 658 00:34:28,232 --> 00:34:31,027 For years, most scholars believed the copper mines 659 00:34:31,152 --> 00:34:33,863 at Timna were controlled by the Egyptians. 660 00:34:33,988 --> 00:34:35,865 After all, they found Egyptian-style 661 00:34:35,990 --> 00:34:38,701 shrines, hieroglyphs, even a temple 662 00:34:38,826 --> 00:34:40,244 to the goddess Hathor. 663 00:34:41,370 --> 00:34:45,415 But new radiocarbon dating flipped that idea on its head. 664 00:34:45,416 --> 00:34:48,752 Turns out the real copper boom at Timna happened after 665 00:34:48,753 --> 00:34:52,673 the Egyptians left, right around the 10th century B.C., 666 00:34:52,799 --> 00:34:56,843 the exact window when Solomon is said to have ruled. 667 00:34:56,844 --> 00:35:00,055 And the head of the new Timna excavation effort declares, 668 00:35:00,056 --> 00:35:03,684 quote, "if King Solomon had mines, they were of copper 669 00:35:03,810 --> 00:35:05,769 and they were here." 670 00:35:05,770 --> 00:35:08,898 The fact that over 10,000 and ancient mine shafts have 671 00:35:09,023 --> 00:35:13,110 been currently identified makes this a compelling theory. 672 00:35:13,111 --> 00:35:15,988 But can it be proven that they were Solomon's? 673 00:35:17,198 --> 00:35:20,534 Now, a recent discovery may settle the question 674 00:35:20,535 --> 00:35:22,120 once and for all. 675 00:35:29,085 --> 00:35:30,418 When it comes to vanished treasures, 676 00:35:30,419 --> 00:35:33,005 the 12-panel masterpiece known as the "Ghent Altarpiece" holds 677 00:35:33,131 --> 00:35:35,967 the honor of being the most stolen artwork in history. 678 00:35:38,886 --> 00:35:42,055 Completed in 1432 for St. Bavo's Cathedral 679 00:35:42,056 --> 00:35:43,849 in Belgium, 680 00:35:43,850 --> 00:35:47,894 it was first snatched by Napoleon in 1794. 681 00:35:47,895 --> 00:35:51,773 By 1815, six panels were secretly sold and smuggled 682 00:35:51,774 --> 00:35:52,692 into Berlin. 683 00:35:52,817 --> 00:35:56,194 Yet in both cases, the artwork was recovered. 684 00:35:56,195 --> 00:36:00,574 Then, in 1934, thieves stole a single panel, which vanished 685 00:36:00,575 --> 00:36:01,576 without a trace. 686 00:36:04,120 --> 00:36:06,372 In World War II, Hitler's forces hid 687 00:36:06,497 --> 00:36:08,374 the remaining panels in a salt mine. 688 00:36:10,585 --> 00:36:13,712 But the Allied art saviors, known as the "Monuments Men," 689 00:36:13,713 --> 00:36:15,131 rescued it from destruction. 690 00:36:17,425 --> 00:36:20,218 Today, the 11 recovered sections once again 691 00:36:20,219 --> 00:36:22,262 grace the cathedral in Ghent. 692 00:36:22,263 --> 00:36:25,140 As for the 12th, it's still out there, just waiting 693 00:36:25,141 --> 00:36:26,434 to be found. 694 00:36:31,856 --> 00:36:35,442 A new archaeological discovery in Israel's copper rich 695 00:36:35,443 --> 00:36:39,030 Timna Valley may finally confirm King Solomon's true 696 00:36:39,155 --> 00:36:40,697 source of wealth. 697 00:36:40,698 --> 00:36:43,408 And they're not the mythical African diamond mines 698 00:36:43,409 --> 00:36:45,203 from the popular novel. 699 00:36:45,328 --> 00:36:48,372 Archaeologist and professor Kent Bramlett has been tracking 700 00:36:48,497 --> 00:36:50,291 the latest finds from the dig site. 701 00:36:51,542 --> 00:36:53,544 Finding proof of King Solomon's mines would 702 00:36:53,669 --> 00:36:55,588 be dramatic. It would be sensational. 703 00:36:55,713 --> 00:36:57,130 It would be fantastic. 704 00:36:57,131 --> 00:36:59,549 I think any archaeologist working in the field would be 705 00:36:59,550 --> 00:37:04,222 delighted with confirming and finding things associated 706 00:37:04,347 --> 00:37:06,973 with a famous king like Solomon. 707 00:37:06,974 --> 00:37:12,270 In 2021, the team excavating at Timna surprised the world. 708 00:37:12,271 --> 00:37:16,233 Archaeologists found artifacts like tools and architectural 709 00:37:16,234 --> 00:37:19,111 remains and foodstuffs as well. 710 00:37:19,237 --> 00:37:21,906 And this is due to the extremely dry climate there 711 00:37:22,031 --> 00:37:24,407 that preserves organic remains that you wouldn't expect 712 00:37:24,408 --> 00:37:26,285 to find in many other locations. 713 00:37:27,620 --> 00:37:30,288 [Josh] Among the articles they recover are charcoal 714 00:37:30,289 --> 00:37:33,500 and clay pieces of ancient smelting furnaces, 715 00:37:33,501 --> 00:37:37,754 proving a massive industrial operation was underway here. 716 00:37:37,755 --> 00:37:40,925 The archaeologists also find ancient food waste, 717 00:37:41,050 --> 00:37:44,761 olives, dates, and fish bones. 718 00:37:44,762 --> 00:37:48,139 As anyone who's ever cleaned out their fridge can relate to, 719 00:37:48,140 --> 00:37:52,018 discovering old food is not normally a jackpot moment. 720 00:37:52,019 --> 00:37:54,563 But in archaeology, it can be as good as gold. 721 00:37:55,898 --> 00:37:59,443 Because olives grow and are eaten within a single season, 722 00:37:59,568 --> 00:38:02,154 their tiny pits can be radiocarbon dated 723 00:38:02,280 --> 00:38:03,572 with incredible precision. 724 00:38:04,699 --> 00:38:08,828 [Bramlett] The pits that were found were dated with carbon-14 sampling, 725 00:38:08,953 --> 00:38:12,956 and the dates that resulted fell squarely in the early part 726 00:38:12,957 --> 00:38:14,958 of the 10th century, the time that, according 727 00:38:14,959 --> 00:38:17,168 to biblical chronology, King Solomon reigned 728 00:38:17,169 --> 00:38:18,878 in Jerusalem. 729 00:38:18,879 --> 00:38:22,132 [Josh] Confirming that the mines were active during King Solomon's 730 00:38:22,133 --> 00:38:25,552 reign is an intriguing discovery, but then comes 731 00:38:25,553 --> 00:38:27,972 a find that ups the ante even more. 732 00:38:29,765 --> 00:38:33,059 Near the lower levels of the excavation, 733 00:38:33,060 --> 00:38:36,229 a number of textiles, I believe hundreds of fragments 734 00:38:36,230 --> 00:38:38,190 of textiles were found. And this is very rare. 735 00:38:38,316 --> 00:38:39,817 Textiles usually don't survive. 736 00:38:40,818 --> 00:38:43,862 Among all of the fragments of textiles found in Timna, 737 00:38:43,863 --> 00:38:46,031 there was a real surprise. 738 00:38:46,032 --> 00:38:49,702 A few had evidence of royal purple dye. 739 00:38:51,871 --> 00:38:54,707 This was extremely exciting and unexpected. 740 00:38:57,668 --> 00:39:00,920 [Josh] In the ancient world, purple is the color of kings, 741 00:39:00,921 --> 00:39:04,924 emperors, and high priests, so rare it becomes a symbol 742 00:39:04,925 --> 00:39:06,344 of power and divinity. 743 00:39:07,511 --> 00:39:09,888 Before modern dyeing techniques, it is made 744 00:39:09,889 --> 00:39:13,351 from Mediterranean Sea snails, and it takes thousands of them 745 00:39:13,476 --> 00:39:16,770 and a painstaking process to produce even a gram 746 00:39:16,771 --> 00:39:18,189 of this precious color. 747 00:39:19,732 --> 00:39:22,401 By weight, it was once worth more than gold. 748 00:39:23,527 --> 00:39:27,197 Finding purple cloth at Timna certainly indicates that this 749 00:39:27,198 --> 00:39:31,785 isn't an isolated and primitive mining operation. 750 00:39:31,786 --> 00:39:36,247 It's connected with kingship, with royalty, most probably. 751 00:39:36,248 --> 00:39:38,876 Royal purple would not be something that was worn 752 00:39:39,001 --> 00:39:41,920 by local administrators. So what was it doing there? 753 00:39:41,921 --> 00:39:44,923 Was it the evidence of a royal visitation? 754 00:39:44,924 --> 00:39:47,885 Was it evidence that we are connected with kingship 755 00:39:48,010 --> 00:39:51,055 somewhere that is organizing this mining operation? 756 00:39:51,180 --> 00:39:53,432 Possibly so, probably so. 757 00:39:53,557 --> 00:39:57,310 [Josh] And the scrap of this fabric found in Timna, it's the oldest 758 00:39:57,311 --> 00:39:59,438 purple wool discovered in the region, 759 00:39:59,563 --> 00:40:02,691 dating all the way back to the 10th century B.C., 760 00:40:03,901 --> 00:40:04,985 King Solomon's time. 761 00:40:07,571 --> 00:40:10,616 Some say it's even possible that this could have been worn 762 00:40:10,741 --> 00:40:12,743 by Solomon himself. 763 00:40:12,868 --> 00:40:16,162 King Solomon would undoubtedly have worn garments dyed 764 00:40:16,163 --> 00:40:19,250 in purple, and Solomon was possibly involved 765 00:40:19,375 --> 00:40:22,585 with the mining at the location of Timna. 766 00:40:22,586 --> 00:40:27,258 But one of the challenges in archaeology is linking specific 767 00:40:27,383 --> 00:40:32,637 remains or finds with specific people, like King Solomon. 768 00:40:32,638 --> 00:40:34,681 If you want to connect it with a figure, 769 00:40:34,682 --> 00:40:37,142 you need DNA from that person to start with. 770 00:40:37,143 --> 00:40:39,645 But King Solomon, unfortunately, we don't have 771 00:40:39,770 --> 00:40:41,605 even his tomb. 772 00:40:41,730 --> 00:40:46,277 But the evidence is circumstantial, so it remains 773 00:40:46,402 --> 00:40:51,490 a challenge to connect King Solomon with an artifact. 774 00:40:51,615 --> 00:40:54,326 Considering that at Timna we've already found surprising 775 00:40:54,452 --> 00:40:57,955 artifacts like purple cloth, we can only guess what will be 776 00:40:58,080 --> 00:40:59,456 found in the future. 777 00:40:59,457 --> 00:41:02,460 We hope that its excavation and research continues, 778 00:41:02,585 --> 00:41:05,379 that more exciting finds will be found at Timna. 779 00:41:07,590 --> 00:41:10,633 [Josh] King Solomon's mines may be more than just a fable 780 00:41:10,634 --> 00:41:13,512 ginned up by a Victorian era novelist. 781 00:41:13,637 --> 00:41:17,015 Many experts now believe the Timna copper mines may well 782 00:41:17,016 --> 00:41:19,810 have belonged to Solomon, and perhaps he even rocked 783 00:41:19,935 --> 00:41:22,354 his royal purple during a visit. 784 00:41:22,480 --> 00:41:25,982 So it turns out the old adage, "all that glitters isn't gold," 785 00:41:25,983 --> 00:41:28,067 is true, especially when it comes 786 00:41:28,068 --> 00:41:30,488 to King Solomon's mines of copper. 787 00:41:30,613 --> 00:41:33,991 I'm Josh Gates and I'll see you on the next expedition.