Ancient Treasures

By Nick Hunter

'Ancient Treasures' examines the hunt for ancient treasure troves and hoards, whether they contain gold and jewels, or important artifacts that offer us a window on to the past. Part of the Treasure Hunters series, 'Ancient Treasures' offers a crosscurricular mix of science & technology and history, with a fun, dramatic approach. Treasures covered in the book include the Roman Hoxne Hoard, the Anglo-Saxon Staffordshire Hoard, the extraordinary discoveries of the Rosetta Stone and Dead Sea Scrolls, and the South American treasures of Lake Guatavita. The book also looks at the motives for these searches, and the importance of responsible archaeology: were the treasure hunters driven by personal greed or glory, or did they embark on their quest with a historical interest and a desire to preserve the lost treasures?

• Language: English
• Publisher: Capstone Young Readers
• Release date: Jul 1, 2014
• ISBN: 9781410969231

Nick Hunter

Nick Hunter has written more than 30 books for young people. He has a degree in Modern History and specializes in writing about history and social studies. Nick enjoys all aspects of pop culture, particularly music from the 1950s to the present day. Before becoming an author, Nick worked in educational publishing for many years. He lives in Oxford, UK with his wife and two sons.

Book preview

CONTENTS

The Search for Treasure

Roman Riches

Amazing Anglo-Saxon Discovery

Secrets of the Ancients

Treasures of the New World

Undiscovered Treasures

Finding Treasure

Timeline

Glossary

Find Out More

Index

THE SEARCH FOR TREASURE

History is full of stories of people searching for treasure and other precious objects from the past. History’s treasure hunters range from the robbers who stole gold and other valuables from the tombs of ancient Egyptian kings to modern people using metal detectors to find artifacts buried hundreds of years ago.

From the 1400s onward, European explorers such as Christopher Columbus and Francis Drake sailed across oceans to find new lands. These pioneers were exploring for a reason. They wanted to find riches—both for themselves and those who sponsored them. Some found huge wealth and fame, while others died trying. The pursuit of treasure also destroyed whole civilizations, such as the Aztecs and Incas of Central and South America.

FEELING LUCKY?

Sometimes treasure hunters find what they are looking for, but at other times the treasures remain hidden—perhaps never to be found! Some people spend their lives searching for amazing finds that will give them a glimpse of how people lived in the past. Amazingly, people who were not even looking for them sometimes find the greatest treasures.

Ideas about treasure change over time. For European explorers in the 1500s, spices from the East were highly valued. In the days before refrigerators, spices could be used to make rotten meat taste a little better!

From the earliest civilizations, gold has been prized more than other metals.

In the 1400s, the indigenous peoples of South America welcomed Christopher Columbus. They could never have guessed that the Europeans’ search for treasure would destroy many of