The Mystery of Berenger Saunière and the Legend of the Hidden Treasure of Rennes-le-Chateau
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The intention of this content is to expand awareness about certain places, myths and stories told at some point by humanity. Much of the information may not be scientifically supported or may contradict current theories. Knowledge, throughout history, is constantly updated, constructed or replaced when there is greater understanding. Therefore, we want to build a serious approach, within free thought, and in its use in a beneficial way for collective evolution. If you like this content, please consider to follow us on Instagram and Youtube for more.
INTRODUCTION
Hello Seekers! I've just returned from an incredible trip through Iberia and the Pyrenees in search of traces of the Templars' presence and the famous legend of the Holy Grail in Europe, but one place in particular caught my attention:
Rennes-le-Chateau.
Obviously, there is an immense amount of content about all the experiences I had there, but if you follow us, you will possibly see them all here. In this one, we will explore the mysteries of the small citadel of Rennes-le-Chateau and its relationships with the Templars and even with the legend of the Holy Grail.
Taking a shortcut, there is a rather famous story that in Rennes-le-Chateau a treasure of immeasurable value was found. Who found this incredible treasure was a man named Berenger Saunière, a humble representative of the church who was sent to the place with the mission of rebuilding an old chapel attributed to Saint Mary Magdalene.
The story is so famous that it gave rise to several bestsellers, including the famous “Da Vinci Code”. Of course, the story there is just a fiction, but it has gathered facts and names from the real story that we are going to tell here.
SAUNIÈRE'S JOURNEY
Saunière was an envoy of the Catholic Church of little means who was assigned to preach, care for and renovate the small church of St. Mary Magdalene. The province where the Chateau is located, is not just any place in history. In addition to having been the scene of the presence of the Celts for millennia, it was also, demonstrably, the ground of mysterious orders and Templar and Cathar missions.
If you don't know what that means, let's keep it simple: The Celts, Templars and Cathars were bearers of great knowledge and treasures not yet completely understood and revealed. For example, it is believed that the Visigoths who inhabited this region would have in their hands great treasures plundered directly from Jerusalem by Emperor Titus, when the Visigoths invaded and sacked Rome during the fall of the Roman Empire.
The treasures of Titus, plundered from Jerusalem (70 AD)
In addition, oral traditions tell that the Templars and Cathars were also defenders of an alleged treasure. This treasure, possibly the Holy Grail, was explored by us in another content that you can check out here.
Returning to Saunière, it is known that the priest, during a restoration work on the church, began to find some very old and mysterious clues left by the former builders of the place. Some even speculate that Saunière was sent by "unknown men" to Rennes-le-Chateau for this preconceived purpose.
Among the clues found by the priest are:
A mysterious set of documents, hidden in a false bottom of a wooden baluster,
A mysterious tombstone below the main altar, with a figure of the Knights Templar and one of Mary Magdalene,
One or more crypts with as yet unknown relics.
SAUNIÈRE'S METEORIC RISE
Mysteriously, Saunière, after proceeding with the exploration and restoration work on the site, began to become incredibly rich, even with the large expenditures on the site. It is proven that Saunière received substantial donations from people linked to the nobility, from the faithful and through his brother, who was a kind of representative and financier for his work. But what is quite questionable is that the amount of money went far beyond simple donations.
Saunière began work on the construction of what is now the entire location of Villa Bethania, with a small castle with a beautiful garden, a tower dedicated to Mary Magdalene, and the complete restoration of the church. Saunière became the owner of works of art and financier of artists who covered the place with hundreds of mysterious figures and drawings.
From this undertaking, rumors began to emerge that Saunière had unearthed a treasure. How could a simple man get so much money in such a short time? The meteoric rise began to arouse suspicion not only among the local population, who said the priest was violating tombs in a cemetery within Church property, but among the clergy close to Saunière.
THE MYSTERIOUS CONNECTIONS AND SYMBOLISMS OF RENNES-LE-CHATEAU
Rennes-le-Chateau's history gets especially weird once you start looking into the details. In addition to all the mystery already proven by Saunière's sudden enrichment and the connection of the place with mystical orders and relic bearers, the Father made a point of leaving many puzzles and mysteries in the way of its construction and restoration.
Saunière seems to have done this to somehow warn someone or a specific group about his findings. We remind newcomers here that allegory and symbolism are an especially useful way of getting a message across to those who matter, dodging the most superficial looks and avoiding the persecution that was very common at the time. Let's look at some of that symbolism here:
The Saints inside the Church of Madalena
Saunière strangely arranged the saints within the Church of Magdalene following a somewhat original sequence. The initials of each one form the word GRAAL, (Saint Germain, Saint Roch, Saint Anthony of Egypt, Saint Anthony of Padua and Saint Luke), with Maria Madalena in the middle. Was it just a coincidence, or a message for the most attentive?
The Templar Tombstone
The Templar Tombstone found by Saunière under the altar is quite curious, too. On one side, a rather faint figure shows what appears to be a veiled woman, mounted on a mule, carrying an object. Some speculate that she is a newborn, others a relic. On the other side, the figure appears clearer, showing two men mounted on a horse. Although quite strange, this sign is clearly indicative of the Templar presence and common seal of the Order of the Knights of Christ.
The Devil at the Door
I was quite surprised when I saw a huge devil to the left of the church entrance! Usually these figures are not common in these places. After an attentive tour, we discovered that the statue would be more of a carefully constructed symbolism to show the “Map” of the region.
Above the head is the baptismal font with the water source of the entire region. The hands indicate two different places: the Circle of Rennes Le Bains and the Tombstone of Marie de Negre d`Ables in a curious play on words of the hand and the knee (Cinq Genou = Saint Genou) meaning the date of her death. Even the sitting position indicates a stone from the region that is known as the "Devil's Throne". Was it more a coincidence, or a treasure map?
“Et in Arcadia Ego”
A work of art by Nicolas Poussin especially attracted the attention of Saunière, who went to the Louvre himself to buy a copy of it: The Shepherds of Arcadia (Les Bergers d'Arcadie).
The Work of Art is allegedly set in the Rennes-le-Bains region and shows a huge tomb that reads “I was (or am) in Arcadia too”. The most incredible thing is that this tomb actually existed until the 1980s, when it was “destroyed” for attracting a legion of onlookers to the place.
In the future we intend to make another content talking more about this, but what is immediately asked here is: Whose tomb was it? What does this mysterious inscription and its connection with the strange characters in the image mean?
The Cryptogram of Marie de Negre d`Ables
If you enjoy solving secret agent-style puzzles, the story of Rennes-le-Chateau won't let you down. There are a number of cryptograms that were left and discovered here that reveal secret messages. One of them, quite strange is a tombstone of Marie de Negre d'Ables that has several grammatical errors and letters placed out of position. Supposedly these letters reveal yet another clue. Can you decipher?
Blanchefort, Bezu e Rennes-le-Chateau
Lastly, there is a rather strange coincidence, although it is considered just speculation. The locations of Rennes-le-Chateau, and the Templar castles of Blanchefort and Bezù form an almost perfect triangle, with a pentagram on two other peaks in the region (Lauzet and La Soulane). The angles are exactly 72 degrees. Is this more indicative of the secret symbol we see in most of the Templar holy sites? We know that many of the ancient constructions were made using strict principles of sacred geometry.
SAUNIÈRE'S END
As everything that begins has an end, Saunière also ended up having his. The priest, with his projects and discoveries, began to bother some representatives of the Catholic Church a lot. His superiors summoned him, and pressured him in various ways to abandon his personal projects. Wealth was also questioned, which led to intense persecution of Saunière, who was even banned from carrying out his work. Even so, defying the church, the priest continued.
It is unclear what was required of him, but after an avalanche of accusations, trials, punishments, Saunière's health slowly withered to a melancholy death on his estate at the age of 65. He was even offered a pardon, but he declined to remain at Rennes-le-Chateau.
BUT IN THE END, WHAT DID SAUNIÈRE DISCOVER?
Many have speculated that Rennes-le-Chateau's secret treasure is the Holy Grail itself. The big question is: what is the Grail? Was it special knowledge? A magical stone that bestows powers of plenty and abundance? Could it be a royal lineage that goes back to Jesus of Nazareth himself? What is not clear is how Saunière turned all this into riches. Had he given the treasure to some special person or order?
Another speculation is that Saunière found a Celtic, Cathar or Templar treasure. This treasure could be a special relic that was sold, or simply *lots* of buried gold and silver that are quite common in this region. There are many signs of ancient mines from Roman times until today.
Pierre Plantard, the founder of the Priory of Sion order (which really exists, but maybe it's not what you imagine), was very keen to link the Chateau's history to the designs of a new French order, or perhaps even a world order. Many books and documentaries have been made with this story in mind, but unfortunately it is modern and highly contested. Plantard recently passed away after being discredited and denying the whole story that was created by him in a lawsuit by the French Government.
The great mystery of all the history here is that no one has been able to explain precisely why the clues were left and what was kept and discovered here. More than that, the clues still point to possible other treasures that left (and still leave) the community excited to explore the history of the place, characters and their origins.
Myth is one of the tools to motivate exploration. Countless adventurers set out in search of great treasures and knowledge, and some, even though they didn't find it, found paths, characters and stories that are told and shared to this day. The legend of Saunière and the region of Rennes-le-Chateau is the perfect background for another journey with great learning, and who knows, the discovery of the very treasure that lies within us.
Greetings, and once again, the truth is out there!
Anthony of Padua (born 1195, Lisbon, Portugal—died June 13, 1231, Arcella, Verona [Italy]; canonized 1232; feast day June 13) was a Franciscan friar and a dedicated patron of the poor. Portugal and the city of Padua, Italy, claim him as their patron saint, and he is invoked for the return of lost property
The Chapel of La Madeleine, located in Saint-Lô in the French department of Manche, is a historical site that has been transformed into a World War II memorial. This chapel is a testament to the city's rich history and its resilience during the war. It serves as a poignant reminder of the sacrifices made by the soldiers of the 29th and 35th Infantry Divisions of the United States who liberated Saint-Lô in 1944.
On June 6, 1944, Allied soldiers stormed the beaches of Normandy in northern France in the operation known as D-Day. More than 150,000 troops took part in the largest seaborne invasion in history, which marked a turning point in the war. Ahead of the 70th anniversary of D-Day, Reuters photographer Chris Helgren compiled archive pictures taken during the 1944 invasion, and then visited the same places to photograph them as they appear today.
El periodista Abel Basti investiga la muerte de Hitler desde hace casi dos décadas. Con varios libros en su haber, que cubren la presunta huida del genocida nazi de Alemania y su nueva vida en Sudamérica, ahora, el periodista dice contar con testimonios inéditos de la estadía de Hitler en la Patagonia argentina.
Entre algunos de los testimonios más sobresalientes, se encuentra el de un teniente coronel retirado, hoy de 93 años. En 1953, mientras se encontraba en el Colegio Militar, fue llamado por el presidente Perón, quien le encomendó la secreta misión de alcanzar algunos documentos secretos al mismísimo Adolf Hitler, a quien encontró en una residencia de Bariloche.
Se trató de un encuentro muy breve. En el mismo día, el Teniente fue recogido del Colegio Militar, trasladado a Casa de Gobierno y, desde allí, hasta un avión militar que lo llevó a Bariloche. El diálogo con Hitler fue breve. Entregó la documentación, se fue, y esa misma noche estaba de regreso en el Colegio Militar.
También existe el testimonio de una mujer, Eloísa Luján, que asegura haber trabajado en la estancia San Ramón, en la Patagonia, como catadora de las comidas de Hitler. La mujer afirma que el Führer llegó hasta allí en tren, a una estación que se encuentra dentro de la estancia. Su relato se complementa con el de un electricista que asegura haber arreglado el tren desde el que partió Hitler, y haberlo visto en persona, en la estación San Antonio Oeste.
Basti dice contar con documentación de inteligencia de la policía, del año 1941, que detallan la formación de "pueblos nazis en Villa La Angostura y Villa Traful". Además, señala la existencia de un testigo, de nombre Francisca, que asegura haber atendido a Hitler y Eva Braun en la estancia Inalco, también en la región patagónica.
Finalmente, se espera un próximo libro que, entre otros testimonios, recoge el de un soldado argentino, de ascendencia alemana, que trabajó como chofer del destacamento de Bariloche. De niño, había conocido personalmente a Hitler después de completar un curso de instrucción en Alemania. Durante el acto de egreso, Hitler le obsequió un pequeño zepelín de juguete.
El soldado solía hacer viajes a la estancia San Ramón, llevando y trayendo al jerarca nazi Von Fritz. Con el tiempo, entablaron afinidad. Un día, Von Fritz le confesó que Hitler estaba viviendo en la estancia. Animado, el soldado le preguntó si acaso Hitler se recordaría de él.
La siguiente vez que se vieron, Von Fritz le aseguró que de hecho Hitler sí se acordaba y que lo esperaba pronto. El soldado estuvo con Hitler en dos ocasiones. Todo el tiempo hablaron en alemán.
The relationship between Louis XVI and Marie Antoinette is often oversimplified and minimized into stereotypes or at best, overshadowed by the theory of the Dashing Romantic Swede Affair.
On the other hand, it’s important to understand the type of love they shared when we discuss the dynamic between Louis XVI and Marie Antoinette.
To quote Madame de Mackau in a letter written to her husband about potential nuptials between Madame Elisabeth and Joseph II: “But, my friend, people up there don’t get married for happiness…”
And this holds true for the relationship between Marie Antoinette and Louis XVI. They were not passionate lovers who fell swooning into each other’s arms and ran off to the local church to get married and start a life together; they did not fall in love at first sight, harps plucking and cupids dancing in the background.
At the first, they were two young teenagers who were paired together solely for political and dynastic purposes. Their relationship was founded not on love or even a mutual agreeable affection--it was founded on pure politics, politics which were uncaring of any feeling they might have (or develop) towards one another. They represented their respective countries, and their duty was to marry and reproduce in order to cement an alliance between said countries: their individuality and preferences didn’t matter.
Over time, however, they grew to appreciate and love one another. Marie Antoinette grew to respect--as she wrote--her husband’s “solid worth,” particularly when compared to his brothers. Louis XVI grew to adore his wife, so much so that he is often described today as describing her like a “mistress,” since it was the affection-chosen mistress--not the politically-chosen wife--who was the actual love of the king of France.
This type of love is somewhat difficult to approach from our 21st century conception of a loving marriage. It is not ordinary romantic love--for they did not love each other when they married--but a love that was nurtured between two people over years of shared experiences.
Their love was borne of a mutually shared position in life, a situation they never expected to realistically control. Marriage, for people in their station, was about alliances and duty. Love, if it happened between a political married couple, was a luxury. And love was certainly not something that every politically married couple enjoyed--George IV and his wife Caroline of Brunswick being just one strong example of a loveless political marriage.
Yet love did happen between this couple, who had practically opposite personalities, who faced immense pressure from the first moments of their marriage, who faced both internal and external stressors that created conflict in their personal and public roles as wife/husband and queen/king, and who ultimately decided to remain together with their children regardless of the danger than separate.
It was this love which guided Louis XVI to lament to one of his lawyers about the French people’s view of his wife and to bitterly say, again and again: “If only they knew what she is worth.”
Kirsten Dunst as Marie- Antoinette and Jason Schwartzman as Louis XVI in the 2006 film interpretation of the queen’s life
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Marie-Antoinette has endured centuries of negative press – and now, more than 200 years after being guillotined, things are about to get worse as far as the late monarch’s reputation is concerned.
A historian and biographer of the queen is set to publish a tranche of correspondence which she claims proves that not only was the notorious queen of France unfaithful to her husband, Louis XVI, but that one of her children was illegitimate.
Born in Austria in 1755, Marie-Antoinette married Louis in 1770. Her indulgent lifestyle and frivolous spending came to symbolise the excesses of the reviled French monarchy. Her decadence was a factor in the unrest that led to the French Revolution and the monarchy’s demise.
In her book,I Love You Madly – Marie-Antoinette: The Secret Letters, the British historian Evelyn Farr lays bare the queen’s alleged infidelity with the powerful Swedish statesman Axel von Fersen and calls into question the parentage of her daughter, Sophie, who died as an infant, proposing the princess was fathered by the devoted lover.
The title of the book, due out next spring, was inspired by a quote from the adoring count, who told the royal in one letter: “I love you and will love you madly all my life.” She in turn called him “the most loved and loving of men” and informed him “my heart is all yours”.
Until now the only correspondence published between Marie-Antoinette and Count Fersen concerns affairs of state. The complete and unexpurgated collection of their letters “confirms unequivocally their passionate and enduring love affair,” according to the book’s publisher Peter Owen.
“This is the first time the full extent of their relationship has been exposed,” according to Ms Farr.
Count Fersen and Marie-Antoinette(Getty Images; Rex Features)
Months spent trawling through archives in the UK, France and Sweden revealed a wealth of information, leaving the author in no doubt that the pair were lovers.
The author says she needed “detective-like skills” to decode many of the couple’s letters. They used a series of techniques to ensure their romance remained top secret, from writing in invisible ink and using code to creating secret stamps and enlisting trusted friends as go-betweens. “Because it was such a compromising correspondence it had to be kept secret,” Ms Farr says.
Some of their acquaintances were rather less discreet than the pair might have hoped, though. Previously unpublished correspondence between their “very gossipy” friends sheds a whole new light on their relationship, says Ms Farr, who believes one particular revelation will send shockwaves across France.
“From what the Duke of Dorchester insinuated to the Duchess of Devonshire, it was fairly obvious [Princess] Sophie was Fersen’s child,” Ms Farr reveals.
Many French scholars are “reluctant” to acknowledge the pair were more than just good friends, according to the author, but the historian believes her research settles the matter once and for all.
“‘I love you madly’ is a very strong phrase – you don’t say that to a good friend. It’s really telling; it implies a physical relationship. They were lovers,” she insists.
“It was a pretty instantaneous crush they had on each other,” Ms Farr says of the pair’s first meeting, which occurred when they were in their late teens in about 1774.
“They were extremely smitten,” she adds, claiming that the relationship lasted until Marie-Antoinette’s untimely death at the hands of the revolutionaries in 1793.
“Most French historians sit on the fence. Some insist it was a platonic love, others say we can never be sure,” Ms Farr says.
“I found quite a few declarations of love. Once you’ve started discovering passages like those you can’t sit on the fence any more.”
Royal letters: Intimate exchanges
Count Fersen to Marie Antoinette
25 October 1791
“My dear and very tender friend – my God, how cruel it is to be so close and not be able to see each other! … I live and exist only to love you; adoring you is my only consolation”
29 October 1791
“Adieu, my tender friend, I love you and will love you madly all my life”
Marie Antoinette to Count Fersen
4 January 1792
“I am going to close, but not without telling you, my dear and very tender friend, that I love you madly and never, ever could I exist a moment without adoring you”
This square used to be named Place Louis XV after the king who built it, including the two magnificent buildings looking on the square, which were royal property. In the middle of the square used to stand a statue of the same king, which was of course destroyed during the French Revolution. The obelisk, a gift from Egypt, came later in 1836.
With 19 acres, this is the largest square in Paris, therefore it was used for celebrations gathering large crowds: a notable one was a banquet for the marriage of the future Louis XVI with Marie-Antoinette. During that event, fireworks ignited a fire which caused panic among the thousands of people attending and over one hundred of them died crushed by the mass movement.
During the reign of terror, one of the guillotines was placed there for executions of high profile personalities: including the king and queen, and many members of the revolutionary government like Danton and Robespierre. By the foot of the obelisk, a plaque serves as a reminder of the events.
Cette place, inauguree en 1763, fut appelle, a l'origine, Place Louis XV. De novembre 1792 a mai 1795 alors denommee Place de la Revolution, elle fut le lieu principal des executions publiques, dont celle de Louis XVI le 21 janvier 1793 et de Marie-Antoinette le 16 octobre 1793.
English translation: "This square, created in 1763, was originally called Place Louis XV. From November 1792 to May 1795, at the time denommee Place de la Revolution, it was the main place for public executions, including that of Louis XVI on 21 Jan. 1793 and Marie-Antoinette on 16 Oct. 1793. [AWS Translate]"
This square used to be named Place Louis XV after the king who built it, including the two magnificent buildings looking on the square, which were royal property. In the middle of the square used to stand a statue of the same king, which was of course destroyed during the French Revolution. The obelisk, a gift from Egypt, came later in 1836.
With 19 acres, this is the largest square in Paris, therefore it was used for celebrations gathering large crowds: a notable one was a banquet for the marriage of the future Louis XVI with Marie-Antoinette. During that event, fireworks ignited a fire which caused panic among the thousands of people attending and over one hundred of them died crushed by the mass movement.
During the reign of terror, one of the guillotines was placed there for executions of high profile personalities: including the king and queen, and many members of the revolutionary government like Danton and Robespierre. By the foot of the obelisk, a plaque serves as a reminder of the events.
La batalla de Accio destruyó el amor inmortal de Cleopatra y Marco Antonio
Esta semana se celebra el 2050 aniversario de la refriega naval, en la que Octavio acabó con la última faraona y con su antiguo socio (y rival), anticipando la llegada del imperio.
Death of Michael Jackson & Rebirth of Princess Diana
by Goro (goroadachi.com) July 04, 2009
The way I see it, events are time portals, especially those that send shockwaves around the world. A chain of countless 'coincidences' culminate in an eruption known as 'event'. A butterfly flapping its wings causing a hurricane on the other side of the world. The longer we fail to recognize such a sequence, the bigger the resultant 'eruption'. Our attention alleviates the 'pressure', because it all begin with seeds of truth and truth by its nature wants to be known. As a 'force' like gravity it demands our attention or we suffer the consequences, like for instance 9/11, or the latest example, the sudden death of Michael Jackson. Taking us by surprise, they force us to pay attention. Better late than never. By that time it's nothing but a big all 'X marking the spot', a guaranteed treasure-trove of hidden knowledge. You start digging and you shall find treasure. It's in effect a timegate through which the past and the future leak into the present, into our conscious awareness. That's one way to look at it in any case.
With Michael Jackson, the treasure - the trans-temporal knowledge - was, is, and will be decidedly lunar. A 'Moon Impact' it was...
There was a noticeable 'swelling of the ocean' in the days leading up to June 25:
June 12: Film 'Moon' released in US (New York & Los Angeles); story about man working all alone on Moon
June 18: NASA's LCROSS mission launched with Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter; will strike the Moon in October
June 21 & 28: ABC mini TV series 'Impact': 'The most spectacular meteor shower in 10,000 years results in a direct hit to the moon, leaving it on a collision course with the Earth'
...burning bright in Paris where she was killed on August 31, 1997
[Diana car accident site in Paris]
...precisely 10 years after 'Bad' containing hit song 'Dirty Diana'
[Release August 31, 1987]
It was... 'Moon Impact'
* * *
'For now doth Cain with fork of thorns confine On either hemisphere, touching the wave Beneath the towers of Seville. Yesternight The moon was round.' - Dante, Inferno
Reflected in the mirror was a messianic baby... a prince.
Michael Jackson had two boys named 'Prince Michael' and a daughter 'Paris Michael (Katherine)' whom, according to his will, he wanted in the hands of Diana (Ross) if his mother was unavailable, as widely reported on Princess Diana's birthday (July 1).
The close, lifelong ties between Michael Jackson's and his friend Diana Ross are made dramatically clear in his 2002 will - he chose her to raise his three children if his mother is unable to do so. [...]
Note also:
Princess Diana died in Paris
Diana's 'baby' PrinceWilliam had his birthday (June 21) marked by literal Moon Impact (TV movie) 4 days before MJ's death
A member of the British Royal Family named Prince Michael (of Kent)
Neda: - Killed on June 20, day before Prince William's BD - 'Neda' means 'divine message' ('angel' means 'messenger')
Following her heart-breaking death captured on video, Neda became the face of the protests raging at the time in Iran following the June 12 presidential election (starting on June 13).
Etymology: The first part, wer, translates as "man"... The second half, wulf, is the ancestor of modern English "wolf"; in some cases it also had the general meaning "beast."
His was an unnatural evolution (plastic surgeries, etc.). What about ours? Is human evolution natural? If not, has the Moon had a hand in it?
We can almost hear the whisper: 'Human evolution is a hoax':
August 15, 2008 St. Anthony of Padua birthday Bigfoot hoax...
..from December 14-16, 2008 with love. (See 'Whisper of the Fifth Sun' for more on this predicted quake.)
Bigfoot, giant foot, giants... Genesis 6, the Nephilim, heaven-earth interbreeding, i.e. human genetic manipulation ('guided evolution'):
Book of Genesis chapter 6: And it came to pass, when men began to multiply on the face of the earth, and daughters were born unto them, That the sons of God saw the daughters of men that they were fair; and they took them wives of all which they chose. [...] There were giants [Nephilim] in the earth in those days; and also after that, when the sons of God came in unto the daughters of men, and they bare children to them, the same became mighty men which were of old, men of renown. And God saw that the wickedness of man was great in the earth, and that every imagination of the thoughts of his heart was only evil continually. And it repented the LORD that he had made man on the earth, and it grieved him at his heart. And the LORD said, I will destroy man whom I have created from the face of the earth; both man, and beast, and the creeping thing, and the fowls of the air; for it repenteth me that I have made them. But Noah found grace in the eyes of the LORD.
A monstrous Sin deemed irreversible, Earth had to be cleansed by a Great Flood.
Sin is the name of a Sumerian (and Minaean) god of the Moon... Still standing after the Flood as 'Noah'.
A forbidden 'lunar strain' of mankind... A 'Diana bloodline'.
Isla Oak: la leyenda del tesoro que ya se cobró seis víctimas y cientos de frustraciones
Vinculada con numerosos personajes históricos, mitos y leyendas, este enclave canadiense en el Atlántico norte motivó numerosas exploraciones, textos y el célebre documental de History Channel
La leyenda de la isla Oak está ligada a las palabras “botín” y “tesoro” y, por ende, a los piratas (foto ilustrativa)LA NACION
Desde finales del siglo XVIII hasta la fecha, el misterio ha sido una constante en torno a la isla Oak. Seis personas han muerto y otras cientos de almas han vivido penurias intentado desenterrar un supuesto tesoro del que poco se sabe.
Ubicada en el condado de Lunenburg, sobre la costa sur de Nueva Escocia, en Canadá, la Isla Oak -o “Isla del Roble”- es una de las cientos que conforman la Bahía de Mahone. Con una superficie de 57 hectáreas y una altura máxima de 11 metros sobre el nivel del mar, encierra uno de los misterios arqueológicos más grandes de América del Norte.
El enigma involucra a personajes como el Capitán Kidd y su pozo del tesoro, o joyas de la decapitada reina de Francia, María Antonieta, o manuscritos que demostrarían que parte de la obra de William Shakespeare (1564-1616) habrían sido escritos por Francis Bacon.
También está vinculada a un joven Franklin Delano Roosevelt que, antes de convertirse en el 32° presidente de Estados Unidos, patrocinaba a la firma Old Gold Salvage Company y se interesó por el supuesto tesoro.
Hasta hubo historiadores que sugieren que la isla Oak está emparentada con los tesoros de los Caballeros Templarios.
Independientemente de los nombres y personajes históricos con los que se la relaciona, la leyenda de la isla Oak está ligada a las palabras “botín” y “tesoro” y, por ende, a los piratas.
Vinculada con numerosos personajes históricos, mitos y leyendas, este enclave canadiense en el Atlántico norte motivó numerosas exploraciones, textos y el célebre documental de los hermanos LaginaYouTube History
Entre 1690 y 1730, los historiadores hablan de un período de oro para los corsarios. Muchos viajaban hacia y cerca de la isla Oak por sus vastos recursos naturales y porque era el lugar ideal para esconder bienes robados.
Tres muchachos, un pozo y el comienzo del sueño
Así fue que un grupo de tres muchachos creyeron haber encontrado en la isla Oak el tesoro que, según la leyenda, había enterrado allí el escocés William Kidd, un experimentado pirata ejecutado en Londres 1701. En 1795, Daniel McGinnis, John Smith y Anthony Vaughn descubrieron un pozo con forma circular en ese lugar al que llamaron “Money Pit” (”el pozo del dinero”) y decidieron comenzar a cavar.
Entre sus esfuerzos y paladas encontraron losas sueltas, piedras y fragmentos de roble de gran tamaño. Pero la gran envergadura de esos troncos enterrados hizo que los tres jóvenes depusieran su búsqueda del supuesto tesoro millonario.
Ocho años después, la compañía Onslow emprendió viaje a la isla Oak motivados por el rumor de lo que habían iniciado McGinnis, Smith y Vaughn. Con equipamiento necesario para este tipo de tareas descendieron hasta los 28 metros. A esa profundidad, descubrieron una placa con inscripciones extrañas.
“12 metros más abajo hay 2 millones de libras enterradas”, indicaban lo símbolos de acuerdo con una traducción de la época. No obstante, al remover la placa el agua comenzó a inundar todo y debieron salir.
Réplica de la piedra con la que se toparon uno de los primeros grupos de exploradoresOakIslandMoneyPit.Com
Gracias a la colaboración de Vaughn, la recientemente conformada Truro Company -que había incorporado a exmiembros de Onslow y otras personas respetadas en la materia- desembarcó en la isla Oak en 1845 con el anhelo y la ambición de hacerse del tesoro. Pero pese al entusiasmo inicial solo pudieron comenzar a excavar hacia 1849.
Decididos a resolver el misterio, montaron una estructura de madera sobre la que su taladro pudiese operar con mayor facilidad. Casi de modo secuencial, las capas de tierra, madera y metal se repetían a medida que descendían algunos metros.
Monedas de oro, inundaciones y muerte
Como publica Daily Choices, un buen día los miembros de la Truro Company taladraron algo que parecían dos cofres que contenían monedas de oro.
El supuesto descubrimiento indicaba una cosa: que el tesoro estaba más abajo de lo que creían. Pero continuar descendiendo conllevaba un problema adicional dado que el pozo se llenaba de agua. Eso los llevó a la conclusión que el terreno que rodeaba a la perforación había sido creado artificialmente, como producto de una vieja represa. Si bien en un primer momento evaluaron crear una nueva represa para drenar el lugar y poder seguir excavando, la falta de fondos hizo que todo quedara en la nada.
Mapa de la isla Oak creado por Joe Nickell en 1999OakIslandMoneyPit.Com
En 1861, un nuevo grupo probó suerte para intentar resolver el misterio. Autodenominados Oak Island Association, acordaron con el dueño del predio, Anthony Graves, que le entregarían un tercio de los tesoros que encontraran.
Con las ganas a flor de piel y el tiempo necesario para cumplir con su objetivo realizaron dos nuevos pozos en paralelo. La idea era llegar al botín cavando horizontalmente una vez que alcancen la profundidad deseada. Pero a muy poco de llegar al objetivo el agua inundó los dos túneles.
Desafortunadamente, el equipo experimentó una tragedia hacia el otoño boreal de ese año. Mientras intentaban drenar uno de los túneles inundados, una caldera explotó y un operador murió a raíz de las quemaduras. Varios otros resultaron heridos.
Finalmente, en 1866, la compañía renunció a sus derechos en el sitio y puso fin a una campaña costosa y accidentada.
Nuevos bríos
Mientras que las esperanzas por encontrar tesoros en la isla Oak parecían esfumarse, el hallazgo de casi 500 gramos de cobre en la superficie provocó entusiasmo. Si bien las piezas aparecieron lejos de la excavación original, algunos entusiastas creyeron que podría ser evidencia de lo que yacía enterrado.
Las distintas zonas exploradas de la isla OakOakIslandMoneyPit.Com
En 1893, Frederick Blair y S.C. Fraser crearon la Oak Island Treasure Company en Maine, Estados Unidos. Gracias a un contrato de explotación 30.000 dólares, la firma se aseguró los derechos exclusivos de todos los tesoros descubiertos por un período de tres años. Pero, pese a sus esfuerzos, no lograron encontrar nada.
Cuatro años más tarde, más precisamente el 26 de marzo de 1897, la isla se cobró otra víctima mortal: un hombre llamado Maynard Kaiser, que se encontraba trabajando en una de la perforaciones de la zona.
Tres meses más tarde nuevos, otro grupo de excavadores probó suerte. En esta ocasión, el taladro atravesó capas de piedra blanda, roble y algo que parecían piezas sueltas de metal. Pero, al continuar descendiendo, chocaron con una barrera de hierro y debieron interrumpir las tareas.
Cuando el taladro volvió a la superficie y el equipo examinó las perforaciones extraídas del pozo, la emoción rápidamente se desvaneció. Pese a que se pensaba que la capa era de metal suelto, los hombres solo encontraron trozos de fibra de coco -utilizado en esa época para empacar-, astillas de roble y más escombros sueltos.
El papiro con la inscripción 'VI' encontrado en una de las excavaciones cuya autenticidad fue confirmada por expertos de la Universidad de HarvardOakIslandMoneyPit.Com
Parte de los escombros extraídos en la isla Oak fueron trasladados a Amherst. Allí, el Dr. A.E. Porter hizo un estudio minucioso de los materiales desenterrados. Entre la tierra y los escombros, encontró un pergamino inconfundible con lo que parecían ser las letras ‘VI’ escritas en uno de los lados del material, que fue inspeccionado por especialistas de la Universidad de Harvard que verificaron su autenticidad.
Roosevelt y la búsqueda en el siglo XX
En 1909, a la edad de 27 años, Franklin Delano Roosevelt se unió a las filas de la Old Gold Salvage and Wrecking Company. De excelente posición económica y formado en Harvard, pasó ese verano frente a las costas de Nueva Escocia.
Roosevelt, el tercero desde la derechaDaily Choices
De la misma manera que cualquier otro buscador de tesoros, Roosevelt estaba muy esperanzado de encontrarlo. Como consigna Oak Island Money Pit, en una carta dirigida a una amigo personal se interesó por el misterio la isla y tenía intenciones de regresar a la Bahía Mahone.
Motivado por lo que había visto en 1897, Chappell regresó a Canadá desde Australia y junto con Frederick Blair, que había conservado el contrato de arrendamiento, se involucró en la búsqueda. Sus primeras excavaciones arrojaron hallazgos: un hacha, un ancla y una púa, elementos que los llevaron a creer que podían ser rastros de alguna antigua civilización.
Blair, Chappel, su hermano Renerick, su hijo Melbourne y su sobrino Claude, comenzaron a trabajar en 1931. Como ya había ocurrido, el grupo se topó con más dificultades que soluciones. Buscaron el “pozo del dinero” pero, para ese entonces, el sitio había sufrido casi 140 años de excavaciones y la superficie de la isla lucía confusa. No sabían por dónde empezar.
Tras haber leído sobre el tema en un artículo en el New York Times de 1928, un hombre llamado Gilbert Hedden se interesó en el Pozo del dinero y la isla Oak. Ese interés devino en obsesión y tras comprar parte de la isla y negociar con Blair, consiguió los medios necesarios comenzó a trabajar en la zona en 1936.
En los primeros meses, el equipo de Hedden no tuvo mayores descubrimientos, pero en 1937 todo cambió. Al excavar en uno de los muchos túneles auxiliares que marcan la isla, el equipo tropezó con una serie de elementos fascinantes. A 20 metros de profundidad dieron con una lámpara minera y dinamita sin explotar. A 30 metros desenterraron masilla de arcilla nunca antes vista en la isla.
Si bien su interés por el tesoro de la isla Oak nunca disminuyó, en 1938 Hedden cambió de planes y decidió abocarse a los asuntos comerciales de la industria del acero.
La tragedia de los Restall
Desde el mismísimo primer intento de los tres intrépidos muchachos de 1795, un gran número de creencias fantásticas se tejieron en torno a al destino de la isla Oak. Algunas profecías presagiaban que para desenterrar el tesoro debían morir al menos siete personas. Y la familia Restall no hizo más que agrandar la leyenda.
Robert Restall llegó a la isla en 1959 después de firmar un contrato con uno de los terratenientes. Se instaló con Bobbie, su hijo mayor de 18 años, en una cabaña sin agua potable, pero con la creencia firme de que lograrían encontrar el elusivo tesoro.
Robert Restall y su familia en el sitio denominado Pozo del dineroBeautifulTrendsToday.Com
La mañana del 17 de agosto de 1965, Robert se encontraba sobre el borde de una de las perforaciones cuando aspiró el gas que emanaba de una máquina perforadora. Se desmayó y cayó al pozo. Al ver lo que sucedía con su padre, Bobbie se acercó para tratar de ayudarlo y corrió la misma suerte.
Al ver que padre e hijo Restall habían caído, los operarios Karl Graeser y Cyril Hiltz intentaron ayudarlos, pero también sucumbieron. Al término de la jornada, cuatro personas habían muerto.
Una placa inaugurada en el segundo centenario de la primera excavación recuerda a las seis personas que murieron mientras buscaban el supuesto tesoroOakIslandMoneyPit.Com
Tras la muerte de los Restall y los obreros, el inversor y geólogo Robert Dunfield se hizo cargo de la exploración de la isla. Los primeros trabajos se llevaron a cabo ese mismo año y tras un breve descanso se retomaron el mismísimo día de Año Nuevo de 1966.
Sin mayor éxito más que haber encontrado fragmentos de porcelana similares a los de expedicionarios anteriores y la incursión de Fred Nolan Dunfield puso fin a su proyecto. Tras haber invertido miles de dólares regresó a California con las manos vacías.
Después de haber hecho trabajo de campo en el área y una tregua con los demás buscadores de tesoros, en 1969 Daniel C. Blankenship y David Tobias conformaron la Triton Alliance Limited. Al explorar la zona de Old Smith Cove, el equipo descubrió una formación de troncos en forma de U, tijeras de hierro forjado, un trineo de madera y otros artefactos de hierro, como clavos y púas.
Según reportes de la época, el equipo dumergió una cámara y en la superficie analizaron lo que parecía ser una mano, un fragmento de un cadáver y varios cofres. Esto motivó a que se realizaran 10 inspecciones con buzos, pero todas fueron infructuosas: no se extrajo ningún tesoro como resultado de esa investigaciones.
A comienzos de los 1980, Blankenship y Tobias le dieron un giro comercial a su empresa: comenzaron a explotar la veta turística de la isla Oak. De manera casi exclusiva comenzaron a recibir a visitantes interesados tanto en la geografía como en los hallazgos y las historias contadas a lo largo de los siglos.
Sobre el final de la década de 1990, Tobias decidió vender sus acciones de la propiedad. La Sociedad de Turismo de la isla Oak le solicitó fervientemente al gobierno de Canadá que comprara el terreno y lo abriera al público, pero la iniciativa no prosperó.
Marty (izquierda) y Rick (derecha) Lagina, los hermanos que encabeza el reality show de History ChannelYouTube
Pese a los pedidos de la organización, en 2006 la mayor parte de la isla fue vendida a los hermanos Marty y Rick Lagina de Kingsford, Michigan.
A comienzos de 2014, History Channel estrenó el reality show, The curse of Oak Island en el que, a través del uso de tecnología moderna, los hermanos buscan descubrir artefactos históricos enterrados en Oak.
Hasta ahora, los intentos de los Lagina por dar con el tesoro tampoco rindieron frutos. Sí encontraron una fuente de riqueza inesperada en el programa, que ya lleva ocho temporadas al aire.
Tema anterior
'King of Pop'
Werewolf = man-beast = Bigfoot
