On The Trail Of The Golden Owl. Credit: Wikimedia
After more than three decades of mystery, France’s famous golden owl treasure has finally been found, ending a nationwide hunt that has captivated treasure seekers since 1993.
The elusive statuette, covered in gold and encrusted with diamonds, is reportedly worth €150,000. It was buried in France over 31 years ago, sparking the world’s longest-running treasure hunt.
Max Valentin’s treasure hunt
The treasure hunt began in 1993, when a French author Régis Hauser (also known as Max Valentin) hid the golden owl in a secret location somewhere in France. Valentin published a book of 11 cryptic riddles to lead hunters to the treasure, but despite a wave of hopeful adventurers scouring the country, it remained hidden. The author himself passed away in 2009, leaving behind a puzzle that seemed nearly impossible to solve.
According to Euronews, the long-standing mystery finally came to a close when the treasure was uncovered earlier this week. Treasure hunters have eagerly waited for this moment, hoping that they would be the ones to find the valuable artefact.
The BBC reported that the owl is not only a symbol of mystery but also of endurance. Over the years, it has become an iconic piece of French pop culture, inspiring thousands of seekers from all walks of life.
““We can confirm that the Golden Owl was unearthed last night, simultaneously with a solution upload that was sent to the online verification system,” reads a post published by Michel Becker on the hunt’s official forum. No further information about the site or the finder was available.
Some hunters are sceptical and think the owl may have been discovered with a metal detector. According to the rules, the finder has to show that they correctly solved the riddles and did not just stumble upon it by chance.
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