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WILLIAM SHATNER:
Sunken ships filled with priceless cargo,
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lost cities
made entirely of gold
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and ancient temples
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that conceal untold riches.
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There's something
about hidden treasure
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that captures our imaginations.
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The idea that a vast fortune
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could be buried underground
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or lying
at the bottom of the sea
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inspires people
to scour the globe
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in search
of both fame and fortune.
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But are these treasures
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merely the stuff
of myth and legend?
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Or are some of them
so well-hidden
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that they
just haven't been found yet?
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Well, that is what we'll try
and find out.
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♪ ♪
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Located on the eastern shore
of the Mediterranean Sea,
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this bustling port city
contains remarkable ruins
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that date back
thousands of years.
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And there are those who believe
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that one of the most
sought-after treasures
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in history
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may lie hidden
within these ancient ruins.
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The Holy Grail.
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TONY McMAHON:
For archaeologists,
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Acre is hugely significant.
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It's one of the oldest
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continuously inhabited places
on Earth
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going back 5,000 years.
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There's literally layers
of history there
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still being discovered.
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But, also, the significance
is that it's the last place
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that the Holy Grail
is believed to have ended up
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during the Crusades.
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SHATNER:
The Holy Grail?
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The chalice
that Jesus drank from
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at the Last Supper?
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For centuries,
many have embarked on quests
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in search
of this sacred artifact
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not only
because it would be priceless
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but also because it is thought
to possess divine power.
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While many have sought to find
the Holy Grail,
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it's believed
that this precious relic
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was once in the hands of a group
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of medieval warrior monks
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known as the Knights Templar.
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The Knights Templar were
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a very curious order of monks.
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They were sworn, in fact,
to protect pilgrims
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to the Holy Land
in the Crusades.
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They were professional soldiers,
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the elite fighting force
of Europe.
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And they became
immensely wealthy
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and immensely powerful.
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But many believed
that the Templars had,
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if you want,
an ulterior secret mission.
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And that was to look
for the Holy Grail
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and other sacred relics
all over the Holy Land.
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If they did find the Holy Grail,
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there was nowhere better
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for the Knights Templar
to bring their treasure securely
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than to Acre,
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which was a safe city
with big, thick walls around it
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and 12 towers
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to defend the citizens
from external attack.
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SHATNER:
If it's true that the Knights Templar
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brought the Holy Grail
from Jerusalem to Acre,
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could it still be hidden
in the ruins
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that lie within the city?
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Eliezer Stern
is an archaeologist
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with the Israel
Antiquities Authority.
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For nearly three decades,
he has overseen excavations
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of a massive
underground Templar fortress
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that lies beneath the Church
of St. Andrew in Acre.
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SHATNER:
Under the church,
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Stern has been investigating
a sprawling network
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of 13th-century tunnels
and crypts.
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These passages may reveal
valuable information
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about the Templar's activities
in Acre.
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PICKNETT:
The Knights Templar had this brilliant system.
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They actually built tunnels
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to what they called
a treasure tower.
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So, when there was
a siege going on,
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they would take the treasures
that they've come across
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throughout their occupation
and their fighting
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down the tunnels
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and into the tower.
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SHATNER:
In addition to excavating the Templar treasury,
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Stern and his team
have unearthed more chambers
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that are located
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approximately ten feet
beneath the main crypt.
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But these monumental discoveries
have revealed only a fraction
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of this mysterious
medieval city.
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McMAHON:
For Grail hunters, any new excavations in Acre,
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it's obviously
tremendously exciting.
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And it's a city that's still
yielding up its secrets.
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And, so,
there is a very good chance
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that some of the treasure
of the Templars,
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including the Holy Grail,
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are there waiting
to be discovered.
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SHATNER:
Is the Holy Grail hidden
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somewhere within the ruins
of the Templar fortress
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beneath
the Church of St. Andrew?
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Perhaps.
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But some researchers
believe that the Templars
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took the Holy Grail to Europe
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and that it could actually
be hidden not in Israel
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but at one of their many
churches and chapels
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located across the continent.
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CORT LINDAHL:
As the Knights Templar
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lost their influence
in the Holy Land,
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the Holy Grail could have made
its way to any number of places.
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Rennes-le-Château in France
is often associated with that.
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This is a place where things
would traditionally be hidden.
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SHATNER:
Researchers have long speculated
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that the Holy Grail is hidden
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at a well-known Knights Templar
structure in Europe
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such as Rennes-le-Château
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or perhaps Rosslyn Chapel
in Scotland.
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But recently,
new evidence has come to light
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which suggests that the Templars
may have actually kept the Grail
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beneath a small church
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located
in a remote part of Poland.
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The Church of St. Stanislaus
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in the western part
of modern Poland
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is a-a red brick chapel
that, in appearance,
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really looks
more like a fortress.
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And the year
of its construction, 1232,
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was very much at the height
of Templar building activity
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across Europe.
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As recently as 2020,
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a research team
using ground-penetrating radar
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found evidence of tombs
of Templar Knights,
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of underground crypts
and even a tunnel
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that appears to link
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the chapel to a well outside.
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So something
was clearly going on.
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LINDAHL:
What we're seeing there
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in Poland could be untouched.
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Nobody knows
what's really there yet.
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So, it's gonna be
very interesting to see
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what they discover there
as they continue to investigate.
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SHATNER:
Is it possible the Knights Templar
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chose to hide the Holy Grail
in Poland,
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a place searchers
would not suspect?
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Uncovering the Grail here
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or wherever else
it may be hidden
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would be a discovery
of profound importance.
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Because for Christians
around the world,
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the Holy Grail is much more
than just an ancient chalice.
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It is an object touched by God.
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McMAHON:
Strictly speaking, we talk
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about the Holy Grail
in technical terms as a cup.
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But really, the Holy Grail
is something much more profound,
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much more sacred, holy.
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There can be no doubt
if the Holy Grail was found,
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this would be hugely significant
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for millions of Christians
all over the world
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to have a direct connection
to the crucifixion,
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to the Passion of Christ.
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The discovery of the Holy Grail,
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a tangible artifact held
by Jesus Christ himself,
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would offer a validation
of faith
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for billions of Christians
around the world.
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But the quest to find
other hidden treasures
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is often motivated by a much
different kind of reward,
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one firmly controlled
by the power of obsession.
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SHATNER:
Explorer Ceslav Cieslar leads an international team
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of researchers on an expedition
deep inside the jungle.
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Their mission: to find
a legendary Inca city of gold
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known as Paititi.
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SHATNER:
For centuries, legends of Paititi
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have tempted hundreds
of explorers to risk their lives
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in the hope of being the first
to locate the lost golden city.
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But in almost 500 years
of searching,
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no one has found it.
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Which begs the question,
did Paititi even exist?
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The lure of a lost gold city
called Paititi has beckoned
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many explorers and scholars
over centuries now,
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leading many to their death.
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I don't think there's any reason
to assume it doesn't exist.
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We know that there
are many sites
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that remain to be discovered
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hidden in this densely
forested and jungled area,
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In the vast wilderness
of what was once occupied
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by this Inca Empire.
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SHATNER:
If Paititi is, in fact, a real place,
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as those who keep
searching for it believe,
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then where might it be hidden?
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Perhaps the answer
can be found by examining
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how the obsession with the
legendary golden city started.
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Spanish conquistadors
led by Francisco Pizarro
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invade the Inca
capital city Cajamarca
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and capture Atahualpa,
the Inca Emperor.
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BELLINGER:
Atahualpa knew
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that all the Spaniards wanted
was gold.
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And so he said, "I will
give you a roomful of gold
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and silver
if you will let me go."
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The gold came
in bits and pieces,
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Pizarro was impatient.
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He killed Atahualpa
before the entire ransom
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had been delivered.
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And those Inca
who were still en route
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bringing more of this gold
headed for the hills.
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With evidence everywhere
for abundant gold,
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Pizarro and the rest
of the conquistadors concluded
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that there must be
a city somewhere,
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what has become known
as this golden city of Paititi.
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And it started a quest
that has eluded people,
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but has attracted
many, many expeditions
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over centuries since.
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00:13:53,542 --> 00:13:55,366
(speaking indistinctly)
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SHATNER:
If anyone understands the ongoing obsession
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00:13:58,338 --> 00:14:02,707
with Paititi, it is American
explorer Greg Deyermenjian.
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00:14:02,801 --> 00:14:06,544
Greg has led more
than 20 expeditions
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00:14:06,638 --> 00:14:09,305
into the depths
of the Peruvian jungle
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00:14:09,391 --> 00:14:13,050
in what has become
a very personal quest
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00:14:13,144 --> 00:14:15,720
to locate Paititi.
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00:14:15,814 --> 00:14:17,313
GREG DEYERMENJIAN:
People that think I'm a masochist
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for the ongoing pain
and exhaustion
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00:14:19,860 --> 00:14:22,944
that, um,
I feel on the expeditions,
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'cause it's just
so difficult and far
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and remote and uncomfortable.
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Even though, you know, this is
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the most important thing
in my life.
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As far as how close
we are to finding Paititi,
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that's very difficult
to be said.
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Well, because there are
so many unexplored areas
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still hidden
in the recesses of Peru.
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SHATNER:
The Peruvian rainforest stretches across
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thousands of square miles.
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An impenetrable sea of trees
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waiting to swallow
anyone brave enough,
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or perhaps obsessed enough,
to search for Paititi.
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00:15:04,863 --> 00:15:08,197
But Ceslav Cieslar believes
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he finally has the key
to finding the hidden city,
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using images
collected by satellites.
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00:16:06,466 --> 00:16:10,969
SHATNER:
Could satellites allow Ceslav and his team to succeed
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00:16:11,054 --> 00:16:13,170
where so many others
have failed?
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00:16:13,264 --> 00:16:15,431
Perhaps.
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00:16:15,517 --> 00:16:17,675
But one thing is certain.
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Treasure hunters
are not going to stop looking
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for Paititi anytime soon.
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DEYERMENJIAN:
Paititi resonates
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00:16:24,693 --> 00:16:26,609
within the human psyche
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for two maybe connected
but maybe separate reasons.
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00:16:30,448 --> 00:16:33,024
One is simply the age-old fact
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00:16:33,118 --> 00:16:35,660
that anything
associated with gold,
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00:16:35,745 --> 00:16:39,288
be it in 1532
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00:16:39,374 --> 00:16:42,867
or 1650 or 2021,
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00:16:42,961 --> 00:16:45,420
that's always an attraction.
253
00:16:45,505 --> 00:16:48,381
The other is there will
always be some desire
254
00:16:48,508 --> 00:16:52,301
for something that's mysterious,
that's adventurous,
255
00:16:52,387 --> 00:16:54,262
that's out there
that's yet to be found,
256
00:16:54,347 --> 00:16:57,098
that's yet to be documented,
that's yet to be explained.
257
00:17:00,228 --> 00:17:02,437
If the legend of Paititi
is enough
258
00:17:02,522 --> 00:17:04,731
to make people risk everything
259
00:17:04,858 --> 00:17:07,692
to search
for a lost city of gold,
260
00:17:07,777 --> 00:17:10,895
then imagine the yearning
of treasure hunters
261
00:17:10,989 --> 00:17:13,906
who are looking
for a vast cache of riches
262
00:17:14,034 --> 00:17:18,536
protected
by an unbreakable code.
263
00:17:26,546 --> 00:17:30,081
SHATNER:
This rural area is filled with rolling foothills,
264
00:17:30,175 --> 00:17:35,762
patchy forests
and quaint farms and cottages.
265
00:17:35,889 --> 00:17:40,433
But there are those
who believe that Bedford County
266
00:17:40,560 --> 00:17:46,355
also holds the answer
to a 200-year-old mystery.
267
00:17:46,441 --> 00:17:50,026
The mystery
of the Beale treasure.
268
00:17:50,945 --> 00:17:54,530
Thomas J. Beale
was an educated man
269
00:17:54,616 --> 00:17:57,992
from here in the local area
in the 1820s.
270
00:17:59,370 --> 00:18:00,787
And him and a bunch
of his buddies
271
00:18:00,914 --> 00:18:03,114
went out west for an adventure.
272
00:18:03,208 --> 00:18:04,782
They were young
and rich and educated
273
00:18:04,876 --> 00:18:07,919
and wanted to see the West.
274
00:18:08,004 --> 00:18:10,121
Thomas Beale
and his compatriots,
275
00:18:10,215 --> 00:18:14,926
said to be up to 30 people,
traveled first to St. Louis.
276
00:18:15,011 --> 00:18:18,096
Then they traveled north into
Colorado where they were said
277
00:18:18,181 --> 00:18:21,465
to have found
a deposit of gold and silver
278
00:18:21,559 --> 00:18:25,302
which they worked
for several months,
279
00:18:25,396 --> 00:18:28,639
and then transported
back to Virginia,
280
00:18:28,733 --> 00:18:32,860
hiding it in a vault
somewhere in Bedford County.
281
00:18:34,322 --> 00:18:35,479
SHATNER:
A hidden vault filled
282
00:18:35,573 --> 00:18:37,815
with millions
in gold and silver?
283
00:18:37,909 --> 00:18:41,369
It's certainly
an incredible story.
284
00:18:41,454 --> 00:18:43,487
But that's not why
we're still talking
285
00:18:43,581 --> 00:18:45,790
about the Beale Treasure today.
286
00:18:45,875 --> 00:18:47,992
The real reason
why it has become
287
00:18:48,086 --> 00:18:52,004
so famous and sought after
is because of the ingenious way
288
00:18:52,132 --> 00:18:56,300
Thomas Beale decided
to hide his fortune.
289
00:18:56,386 --> 00:18:58,928
LINDAHL:
No one really knows why Thomas Beale decided
290
00:18:59,013 --> 00:19:01,931
to hide the treasure,
but it could be because,
291
00:19:02,016 --> 00:19:03,641
at the time this was found,
292
00:19:03,726 --> 00:19:06,435
Colorado was
still part of Spain,
293
00:19:06,521 --> 00:19:07,854
and they would've,
294
00:19:07,981 --> 00:19:09,847
if they would have
been caught mining there,
295
00:19:09,941 --> 00:19:11,858
it would have been
a capital offense
296
00:19:11,985 --> 00:19:14,152
and they would have
gotten in a lot of trouble.
297
00:19:15,613 --> 00:19:18,990
We do know Thomas Beale
gave a box
298
00:19:19,075 --> 00:19:22,160
to Robert Morriss
in Lynchburg, Virginia,
299
00:19:22,245 --> 00:19:27,123
who ran a boarding house there,
in about 1822,
300
00:19:27,208 --> 00:19:32,211
with instructions for him
not to open it until 1832.
301
00:19:32,338 --> 00:19:35,372
THOMPSON:
Beale goes, "I want you to, like, keep this for safekeeping,
302
00:19:35,466 --> 00:19:38,542
"'cause I'll be back in about
ten years, and if I'm not,
303
00:19:38,636 --> 00:19:41,212
you're free to open it up
and figure out what's going on."
304
00:19:41,306 --> 00:19:45,183
SHATNER:
But as the story goes, Thomas Beale never returned.
305
00:19:45,268 --> 00:19:49,020
He disappeared and was
never seen or heard from again.
306
00:19:49,105 --> 00:19:54,892
So, naturally,
Mr. Morriss began to wonder,
307
00:19:54,986 --> 00:19:58,562
"What's in the box?"
308
00:19:58,656 --> 00:20:00,573
THOMPSON:
About 20 years later, Mr. Morriss goes,
309
00:20:00,700 --> 00:20:03,784
"Oh, yeah, that's right.
It's been more than ten years.
310
00:20:03,870 --> 00:20:05,411
I can open up this box."
311
00:20:05,538 --> 00:20:08,239
Well, he opens up the box
and there's three letters
312
00:20:08,333 --> 00:20:11,042
that are all written in numbers.
313
00:20:11,127 --> 00:20:16,756
So, it was, like,
"12, 537, 16, 8."
314
00:20:16,883 --> 00:20:18,415
Just a bunch of numbers.
315
00:20:18,509 --> 00:20:22,419
And Mr. Morriss was like, "Okay,
316
00:20:22,513 --> 00:20:24,805
I have no idea
how to solve this."
317
00:20:24,891 --> 00:20:27,683
SHATNER:
Thomas Beale had written the three notes using a simple
318
00:20:27,769 --> 00:20:31,646
but effective secret code
that is known as a book cipher.
319
00:20:31,731 --> 00:20:35,107
This technique replaces
letters with numbers,
320
00:20:35,235 --> 00:20:38,778
creating a code based
on a secret source document.
321
00:20:38,905 --> 00:20:43,491
But until you know what document
the numbers correspond to,
322
00:20:43,576 --> 00:20:46,452
it is impossible
to decode the cipher
323
00:20:46,579 --> 00:20:49,613
and reveal the secret message.
324
00:20:49,707 --> 00:20:51,782
ORANCHAK:
It was a type of encryption used a lot
325
00:20:51,876 --> 00:20:54,335
during the Revolutionary War,
and the numbers
326
00:20:54,420 --> 00:20:57,421
would indicate line numbers
and word numbers within, like,
327
00:20:57,507 --> 00:21:00,925
a dictionary or a law manual
or something like that.
328
00:21:01,010 --> 00:21:04,470
It's fairly secure,
provided that you keep
329
00:21:04,597 --> 00:21:07,598
the identity of the book
or source material secret.
330
00:21:10,645 --> 00:21:13,104
SHATNER:
Since no one knew what text Thomas Beale had used
331
00:21:13,189 --> 00:21:14,814
as his cipher,
332
00:21:14,941 --> 00:21:18,976
the three messages
remained unsolved for decades.
333
00:21:19,070 --> 00:21:21,312
That is, until 1885,
334
00:21:21,406 --> 00:21:26,492
when a man named James B. Ward
began selling a 50-cent pamphlet
335
00:21:26,619 --> 00:21:30,538
which revealed that Beale
had used a surprising document
336
00:21:30,623 --> 00:21:33,541
as the cipher
for the second message:
337
00:21:33,626 --> 00:21:38,796
the Declaration of Independence.
338
00:21:38,881 --> 00:21:41,215
What Thomas Beale had done
339
00:21:41,301 --> 00:21:43,092
was he wrote a number
under each word
340
00:21:43,177 --> 00:21:45,169
of the Declaration
of Independence in order.
341
00:21:45,263 --> 00:21:49,056
So, starting at
the first word: "1, 2, 3, 4, 5,"
342
00:21:49,142 --> 00:21:52,351
all the way down
to the 800s or the 900s.
343
00:21:52,478 --> 00:21:57,181
And so, he took the "I" in
the first word of the message,
344
00:21:57,275 --> 00:21:59,775
and looked for a word
starting with the letter I
345
00:21:59,861 --> 00:22:02,611
in the Declaration
of Independence.
346
00:22:02,697 --> 00:22:05,356
And then he picked one of them,
and looked at the number
347
00:22:05,450 --> 00:22:07,191
that he had written
underneath it
348
00:22:07,285 --> 00:22:10,328
and used that number
to stand for that letter I.
349
00:22:10,413 --> 00:22:13,030
And so he continued to
the next letter in his message,
350
00:22:13,124 --> 00:22:14,874
wrote down the number
associated with that word
351
00:22:15,001 --> 00:22:16,867
and then continued along
to create
352
00:22:16,961 --> 00:22:20,037
this long sequence of numbers.
353
00:22:20,131 --> 00:22:24,467
Apparently, what he had done was
he encoded three messages,
354
00:22:24,552 --> 00:22:27,762
one of which describe
the contents of the treasure,
355
00:22:27,847 --> 00:22:30,047
another describing its location
356
00:22:30,141 --> 00:22:33,100
and then the third note,
uh, describes
357
00:22:33,186 --> 00:22:35,644
the owners of the treasure
and t-their relatives.
358
00:22:37,482 --> 00:22:40,224
THOMPSON:
Mr. Ward took the Declaration of Independence
359
00:22:40,318 --> 00:22:43,560
and was able to compare that
with the one letter
360
00:22:43,654 --> 00:22:46,155
and he was able
to figure out how that worked.
361
00:22:46,240 --> 00:22:50,451
Mr. Ward was able to translate
"I have deposited in the County
362
00:22:50,536 --> 00:22:54,205
"of Bedford about four miles
from Buford's, six feet below
363
00:22:54,290 --> 00:22:58,075
"the surface of the ground,
1,014 pounds of gold,
364
00:22:58,169 --> 00:23:01,712
"and 3,812 pounds of silver
365
00:23:01,798 --> 00:23:05,633
deposited November 1819."
366
00:23:05,718 --> 00:23:08,552
If the description
of the contents of the vault,
367
00:23:08,638 --> 00:23:09,586
if it's truthful,
368
00:23:09,680 --> 00:23:12,056
the treasure is estimated
to be worth
369
00:23:12,141 --> 00:23:15,226
about $40 million
in today's money.
370
00:23:15,311 --> 00:23:18,312
So, obviously, that's
a very compelling motivation
371
00:23:18,398 --> 00:23:22,024
to find, uh, the solutions
to the other ciphers.
372
00:23:22,110 --> 00:23:25,236
THOMPSON
The-the first letter which says
373
00:23:25,321 --> 00:23:29,156
exactly where it's located
has never been decoded.
374
00:23:29,242 --> 00:23:32,201
So, which is one reason
why people don't know
375
00:23:32,286 --> 00:23:35,079
where exactly
it's within those four miles.
376
00:23:36,416 --> 00:23:39,625
SHATNER:
One place that is located within the four-mile area
377
00:23:39,752 --> 00:23:42,286
that Beale described is a farm
378
00:23:42,380 --> 00:23:44,755
owned by a man
named Danny Johnson.
379
00:23:44,841 --> 00:23:47,007
Which is why, for decades,
380
00:23:47,093 --> 00:23:49,293
people have been
coming to his property
381
00:23:49,387 --> 00:23:51,137
in search of the Beale treasure.
382
00:23:53,099 --> 00:23:54,723
JOHNSON:
People from all over
383
00:23:54,809 --> 00:23:59,136
the world have been here
to find that treasure.
384
00:23:59,230 --> 00:24:01,472
And every single one of them
has a different idea
385
00:24:01,566 --> 00:24:03,607
of where the treasure is buried.
386
00:24:03,693 --> 00:24:06,986
And some people have dug
without permission.
387
00:24:07,113 --> 00:24:10,406
There's probably been,
I don't know how many holes dug
388
00:24:10,491 --> 00:24:12,450
right around me.
389
00:24:12,535 --> 00:24:14,318
Every single
one of them believes
390
00:24:14,412 --> 00:24:17,154
that they have broken the code.
391
00:24:17,248 --> 00:24:20,657
You've got generations
of researchers that are coming
392
00:24:20,751 --> 00:24:22,326
and looking
for this gold and silver.
393
00:24:22,420 --> 00:24:25,713
You're talking
about a lot of money.
394
00:24:25,798 --> 00:24:28,466
And I think that's why people
are still looking for it.
395
00:24:30,928 --> 00:24:34,838
Will the Beale treasure
ever be found?
396
00:24:34,932 --> 00:24:37,892
I guess that depends
on whether or not
397
00:24:37,977 --> 00:24:40,352
someone is able
to decode the cipher.
398
00:24:40,480 --> 00:24:43,981
But while solving a puzzle
can be quite enticing,
399
00:24:44,066 --> 00:24:46,734
oftentimes,
the strongest motivation
400
00:24:46,819 --> 00:24:51,405
for finding hidden treasure
is plain old greed.
401
00:24:57,079 --> 00:24:59,029
SHATNER:
In this suburban town
402
00:24:59,123 --> 00:25:03,534
stands the Catherine Palace.
403
00:25:03,628 --> 00:25:05,669
Originally built
in the 18th century
404
00:25:05,755 --> 00:25:08,205
as a summer home for
the Russian royal family,
405
00:25:08,299 --> 00:25:10,925
his palatial estate
is one of the grandest,
406
00:25:11,010 --> 00:25:14,803
most opulent residences
in the world.
407
00:25:14,889 --> 00:25:18,382
Each of its many rooms
is considered a masterpiece
408
00:25:18,476 --> 00:25:20,851
of Baroque design.
409
00:25:21,979 --> 00:25:25,564
But there is one
special room in this palace
410
00:25:25,691 --> 00:25:29,893
that has become the center
of a modern-day treasure hunt.
411
00:25:29,987 --> 00:25:34,615
It's known as the Amber Room.
412
00:25:36,118 --> 00:25:37,734
The Amber Room was built
for Peter the Great
413
00:25:37,828 --> 00:25:40,737
in Russia in the 18th century
414
00:25:40,831 --> 00:25:44,375
as part of the Catherine Palace
near St. Petersburg.
415
00:25:45,503 --> 00:25:47,578
There was gold, yes,
there were jewels, yes,
416
00:25:47,672 --> 00:25:50,247
but the main thing was amber.
417
00:25:50,341 --> 00:25:52,049
Wherever you looked: amber.
418
00:25:52,134 --> 00:25:55,752
It was like a,
like a shrine to-to amber.
419
00:25:55,846 --> 00:25:57,972
KIRKPATRICK:
The Amber Room contains
420
00:25:58,057 --> 00:26:02,593
well over a thousand pounds
of amber.
421
00:26:02,687 --> 00:26:04,687
You know,
what amber actually is,
422
00:26:04,772 --> 00:26:08,148
is petrified
tree sap from pine trees.
423
00:26:08,234 --> 00:26:11,935
Which is a very,
very rare substance
424
00:26:12,029 --> 00:26:14,280
which is measured by the carat.
425
00:26:14,407 --> 00:26:16,282
In addition to the amber,
426
00:26:16,409 --> 00:26:18,951
you have gemstones,
427
00:26:19,078 --> 00:26:22,446
you have gold leaf gilding,
428
00:26:22,540 --> 00:26:25,249
mirrors everywhere
and candelabras.
429
00:26:25,334 --> 00:26:28,619
And while the candelabras
are lit,
430
00:26:28,713 --> 00:26:31,121
you have these sparkling lights
431
00:26:31,215 --> 00:26:33,624
shimmering off all of these
different mirrors
432
00:26:33,718 --> 00:26:36,460
and off of these gemstones
and the amber itself,
433
00:26:36,554 --> 00:26:39,305
which was, sort of glows
under that light.
434
00:26:40,891 --> 00:26:43,133
PICKNETT:
And it was, obviously, a-almost
435
00:26:43,227 --> 00:26:45,477
a transcendent experience
to go into the room,
436
00:26:45,605 --> 00:26:50,140
and it instantly became
the talk of the world
437
00:26:50,234 --> 00:26:56,071
because it was dripping
with opulence.
438
00:26:56,949 --> 00:26:58,657
SHATNER:
In the early 20th century,
439
00:26:58,784 --> 00:27:00,409
many referred to the Amber room
440
00:27:00,494 --> 00:27:03,579
as the Eighth Wonder
of the World.
441
00:27:04,665 --> 00:27:06,323
Its value has been estimated
442
00:27:06,417 --> 00:27:09,627
to be over $500 million
in today's dollars.
443
00:27:09,712 --> 00:27:11,587
But it's hard to appraise
444
00:27:11,672 --> 00:27:13,714
exactly how much
it would be worth,
445
00:27:13,799 --> 00:27:16,258
because the magnificent jewels
446
00:27:16,344 --> 00:27:20,346
and panels of
the Amber Room were stolen.
447
00:27:26,520 --> 00:27:29,355
Adolf Hitler
launches Operation Barbarossa,
448
00:27:29,482 --> 00:27:32,191
the Nazi invasion
of the Soviet Union.
449
00:27:32,318 --> 00:27:34,360
Within weeks,
German troops lay siege
450
00:27:34,487 --> 00:27:36,853
to the city of St. Petersburg.
451
00:27:36,947 --> 00:27:41,408
But Hitler's goal isn't only
to capture the Russian city.
452
00:27:41,494 --> 00:27:46,038
He's also fixated on taking
the Amber Room for himself.
453
00:27:48,042 --> 00:27:53,128
The Nazis were obsessed
with looting valuable stuff.
454
00:27:54,882 --> 00:27:58,208
Artworks, you name it.
Anything that was valuable.
455
00:27:58,302 --> 00:28:01,303
So wherever they saw it--
and let's not forget,
456
00:28:01,389 --> 00:28:04,047
they occupied many,
many countries-- they took it.
457
00:28:04,141 --> 00:28:06,975
KIRKPATRICK:
The German commandos,
458
00:28:07,061 --> 00:28:09,311
they knew exactly
what they were doing,
459
00:28:09,397 --> 00:28:11,522
and in a mere 36 hours,
460
00:28:11,607 --> 00:28:16,560
pried these sheets of amber
off the wall,
461
00:28:16,654 --> 00:28:20,280
packaged it up into 27 crates,
462
00:28:20,366 --> 00:28:23,951
and already
had a destination in mind.
463
00:28:27,039 --> 00:28:31,074
SHATNER:
The Nazis put the 27 crates containing the Amber Room
464
00:28:31,168 --> 00:28:34,911
on a train and shipped them
to Konigsberg Castle in Germany.
465
00:28:35,005 --> 00:28:39,591
The Amber Room was then put
on display in the castle.
466
00:28:39,719 --> 00:28:42,386
That is, until in August 1944...
467
00:28:44,849 --> 00:28:49,259
...when Allied forces
advanced into Germany,
468
00:28:49,353 --> 00:28:52,688
and the Nazis were forced
to move the Amber Room yet again
469
00:28:52,773 --> 00:28:55,899
to prevent it from being
reclaimed by the Russians.
470
00:28:55,985 --> 00:29:01,104
But no one knows for sure
where they hid it.
471
00:29:01,198 --> 00:29:03,115
For the Nazis,
towards the end of the war,
472
00:29:03,242 --> 00:29:06,452
when they knew their number
was up, uh, basically,
473
00:29:06,579 --> 00:29:10,781
all their looted artworks and
treasures, uh, were dispersed.
474
00:29:10,875 --> 00:29:14,785
And they were hidden
down silver mines
475
00:29:14,879 --> 00:29:17,671
or disused mines or caves.
476
00:29:19,675 --> 00:29:22,626
KIRKPATRICK:
That's the enduring mystery of the Amber Room.
477
00:29:22,720 --> 00:29:25,295
Was this put on a train
and sent into Germany?
478
00:29:25,389 --> 00:29:26,680
Was it sent up into the Alps?
479
00:29:26,766 --> 00:29:28,465
Was it sunk into a lake?
480
00:29:28,559 --> 00:29:30,476
Wh-- Did it go into a salt mine?
481
00:29:30,603 --> 00:29:34,971
There are a tantalizing number
482
00:29:35,065 --> 00:29:39,810
of possible locations
for what became of it.
483
00:29:39,904 --> 00:29:44,314
SHATNER:
Where did the Nazis hide the Amber Room?
484
00:29:44,408 --> 00:29:47,451
And could that secret location
be where it still is today,
485
00:29:47,536 --> 00:29:49,620
more than 75 years later?
486
00:29:50,790 --> 00:29:52,656
According to many researchers,
487
00:29:52,750 --> 00:29:56,043
the best clue as to the
whereabouts of the Amber Room
488
00:29:56,128 --> 00:30:01,256
came from a Nazi war criminal
named Erich Koch.
489
00:30:01,342 --> 00:30:05,427
Erich Koch was
Gauleiter of East Prussia.
490
00:30:05,513 --> 00:30:08,171
Um, that's the sort of
equivalent of governor
491
00:30:08,265 --> 00:30:09,840
of that whole region.
492
00:30:09,934 --> 00:30:13,677
And he was one
of the most unyielding,
493
00:30:13,771 --> 00:30:16,021
brutal of any of the Nazis.
494
00:30:16,148 --> 00:30:18,857
He was the one
who put the Amber Room
495
00:30:18,984 --> 00:30:20,818
on display in the castle.
496
00:30:20,903 --> 00:30:24,521
He also ordered it
crated up to be saved
497
00:30:24,615 --> 00:30:27,023
as the Soviets were approaching,
498
00:30:27,117 --> 00:30:31,578
and was arrested as he was
trying to get on a submarine
499
00:30:31,664 --> 00:30:33,697
bound for South America,
500
00:30:33,791 --> 00:30:37,334
and sentenced to death,
only he was not executed.
501
00:30:37,419 --> 00:30:41,204
And part of the reason
he was not executed
502
00:30:41,298 --> 00:30:45,092
is that he was perhaps
the only person
503
00:30:45,177 --> 00:30:48,554
who really knew what happened
to the Amber Room.
504
00:30:50,516 --> 00:30:52,549
SHATNER:
In 1986, Erich Koch died
505
00:30:52,643 --> 00:30:55,719
of natural causes
in a Polish prison.
506
00:30:55,813 --> 00:30:58,388
But according
to eyewitness accounts,
507
00:30:58,482 --> 00:31:01,859
before his death, Koch was seen
leading Polish authorities
508
00:31:01,944 --> 00:31:05,896
on a search for the Amber Room
at a former Nazi military base
509
00:31:05,990 --> 00:31:07,898
near the town
of Mamerki, Poland,
510
00:31:07,992 --> 00:31:13,287
which is located just 80 miles
southeast of Konigsberg.
511
00:31:13,372 --> 00:31:15,914
Based on the fact
that you have eyewitnesses,
512
00:31:16,041 --> 00:31:18,250
the most tantalizing new theory
513
00:31:18,377 --> 00:31:21,795
is that the Amber Room
is somehow hidden
514
00:31:21,881 --> 00:31:26,133
in the former
Nazi army headquarters
515
00:31:26,218 --> 00:31:28,468
in Mamerki, in Poland.
516
00:31:29,638 --> 00:31:31,722
This is an important site
517
00:31:31,807 --> 00:31:37,185
where you have these massive
cement bunker buildings.
518
00:31:37,271 --> 00:31:41,431
So a very compelling argument
could be made
519
00:31:41,525 --> 00:31:44,902
that that's where
the Amber Room is.
520
00:31:45,738 --> 00:31:47,771
SHATNER:
Is the Amber Room hidden
521
00:31:47,865 --> 00:31:51,366
in the ruins
of a Nazi base in Poland?
522
00:31:51,452 --> 00:31:54,620
Perhaps the answer
can be found by examining
523
00:31:54,747 --> 00:31:59,282
new evidence which suggests
that beneath this facility,
524
00:31:59,376 --> 00:32:05,547
there may be a secret network
of tunnels deep underground.
525
00:32:08,886 --> 00:32:10,510
SHATNER:
In 1941,
526
00:32:10,596 --> 00:32:13,138
Nazi Germany invaded
the Soviet Union
527
00:32:13,265 --> 00:32:16,633
and stole the magnificent jewels
and panels of the Amber Room,
528
00:32:16,727 --> 00:32:19,970
the so-called Eighth Wonder
of the World.
529
00:32:20,064 --> 00:32:23,523
But after Germany was defeated,
the Amber Room
530
00:32:23,609 --> 00:32:26,610
was never recovered,
and since that time,
531
00:32:26,695 --> 00:32:30,822
many have wondered where
the Nazis hid the treasure.
532
00:32:30,950 --> 00:32:34,484
In recent years,
some researchers have suggested
533
00:32:34,578 --> 00:32:36,828
that the Amber Room
could possibly be hidden
534
00:32:36,956 --> 00:32:41,333
beneath a former Nazi military
base located in Mamerki, Poland.
535
00:32:41,460 --> 00:32:45,161
- (men speaking Polish)
- And on June 27, 2019,
536
00:32:45,255 --> 00:32:48,090
a team of local researchers
lifted a concrete slab
537
00:32:48,175 --> 00:32:51,343
from the ground
in the area of the base,
538
00:32:51,470 --> 00:32:56,673
revealing a narrow,
unexplored tunnel.
539
00:32:56,767 --> 00:33:00,227
Some believe
that this discovery suggests
540
00:33:00,312 --> 00:33:06,182
that the base may, in fact, hold
treasure stolen by the Nazis.
541
00:33:06,276 --> 00:33:09,027
KIRKPATRICK:
Historians don't know, actually,
542
00:33:09,154 --> 00:33:12,864
how, uh, extensive
this tunneling is.
543
00:33:12,992 --> 00:33:15,525
I mean, you literally could
have miles of this stuff.
544
00:33:15,619 --> 00:33:18,578
So, of course,
the speculation
545
00:33:18,664 --> 00:33:23,208
is that maybe this is where
the Amber Room is,
546
00:33:23,335 --> 00:33:28,255
because it's only a couple
hours' drive from Konigsberg.
547
00:33:28,340 --> 00:33:31,049
You could easily have put
those crates on a truck
548
00:33:31,176 --> 00:33:33,719
and brought it
to this Nazi facility.
549
00:33:33,846 --> 00:33:37,305
SHATNER:
Could underground tunnels below the Nazi base
550
00:33:37,391 --> 00:33:39,382
be the true hiding place
551
00:33:39,476 --> 00:33:42,394
of the priceless pieces
of the Amber Room?
552
00:33:42,521 --> 00:33:46,231
According to local historian
Bartek Plebanczyk,
553
00:33:46,358 --> 00:33:48,442
the answer is yes.
554
00:33:49,528 --> 00:33:51,236
Bartek has spent years
555
00:33:51,363 --> 00:33:53,238
exploring numerous tunnels
that are already known
556
00:33:53,365 --> 00:33:56,408
to connect more than 30 bunkers
and fortifications
557
00:33:56,535 --> 00:33:58,410
throughout the base.
558
00:33:58,537 --> 00:34:01,580
It is his belief that in
addition to these structures,
559
00:34:01,707 --> 00:34:05,459
there may be a larger network
of secret tunnels that lie
560
00:34:05,544 --> 00:34:08,295
even deeper underground.
561
00:34:32,237 --> 00:34:34,604
SHATNER:
Because Bartek and his associates
562
00:34:34,698 --> 00:34:37,941
have already found evidence of
previously undiscovered tunnels
563
00:34:38,035 --> 00:34:41,119
in the forest area
near the base,
564
00:34:41,246 --> 00:34:45,123
he is utilizing
ground-penetrating radar
565
00:34:45,250 --> 00:34:48,710
to gather more information
about what lies below.
566
00:35:20,285 --> 00:35:22,494
SHATNER:
Will further investigation at Mamerki
567
00:35:22,621 --> 00:35:25,155
reveal the lost Amber Room?
568
00:35:25,249 --> 00:35:26,331
Perhaps.
569
00:35:26,458 --> 00:35:28,750
But some researchers suggest
570
00:35:28,836 --> 00:35:31,002
that the crates
containing the Amber Room
571
00:35:31,130 --> 00:35:33,997
aren't hidden beneath
a decaying Nazi bunker,
572
00:35:34,091 --> 00:35:39,010
but rather beneath the icy
waters of the Baltic Sea,
573
00:35:39,138 --> 00:35:41,555
inside the wreck
of a German cargo ship
574
00:35:41,640 --> 00:35:45,392
named the SS Karlsruhe.
575
00:35:45,477 --> 00:35:48,520
A group of divers from
a company called Baltictech
576
00:35:48,647 --> 00:35:50,897
found the Karlsruhe wreck
577
00:35:50,983 --> 00:35:55,110
at the bottom of the Baltic Sea
in the fall of 2020.
578
00:35:55,195 --> 00:35:59,281
The Karlsruhe
is a really interesting case.
579
00:35:59,366 --> 00:36:03,577
Konigsberg Castle was located
on the shores of the Baltic Sea.
580
00:36:03,662 --> 00:36:07,038
And so, it was well
positioned for the evacuation
581
00:36:07,166 --> 00:36:12,085
when the Red Army
descended upon this area
582
00:36:12,171 --> 00:36:15,505
and the Nazis knew
that the gig was up.
583
00:36:15,591 --> 00:36:19,050
If there was anything
remaining in Konigsberg Castle
584
00:36:19,178 --> 00:36:23,972
that had not yet been evacuated,
it was going out on that ship.
585
00:36:24,933 --> 00:36:28,727
The Karlsruhe
was unfortunately sunk
586
00:36:28,854 --> 00:36:30,770
by Soviet aircraft.
587
00:36:30,856 --> 00:36:33,773
Fully laden, had about
a thousand people on board,
588
00:36:33,859 --> 00:36:37,402
and possibly with cargo
including the 27 crates
589
00:36:37,529 --> 00:36:39,529
containing the Amber Room.
590
00:36:39,615 --> 00:36:43,450
Study is continuing
to understand
591
00:36:43,535 --> 00:36:46,036
exactly what
is contained in this ship.
592
00:36:46,121 --> 00:36:48,905
But there are many
who are hopeful
593
00:36:48,999 --> 00:36:52,834
that the 27 boxes
containing the Amber Room
594
00:36:52,920 --> 00:36:56,588
are among its hidden treasures.
595
00:36:56,715 --> 00:37:01,343
We now recognize
the importance of-of art,
596
00:37:01,428 --> 00:37:05,347
uh, and artifacts
to the identity of a nation,
597
00:37:05,432 --> 00:37:10,093
that, um, to steal the art
and artifacts of a nation
598
00:37:10,187 --> 00:37:12,812
is to erase that culture.
599
00:37:13,857 --> 00:37:17,275
So, I wish Russia the best
600
00:37:17,402 --> 00:37:20,237
in getting that Amber Room back,
601
00:37:20,322 --> 00:37:24,532
because of what it will mean
to the people.
602
00:37:24,618 --> 00:37:28,787
At the Catherine Palace
outside St. Petersburg,
603
00:37:28,914 --> 00:37:31,665
Russian craftsmen spent 24 years
604
00:37:31,750 --> 00:37:34,793
reconstructing the Amber Room
piece by piece.
605
00:37:34,920 --> 00:37:38,296
Today the replica
is open for public viewing.
606
00:37:38,423 --> 00:37:43,301
And yet, that hasn't stopped
treasure hunters from searching
607
00:37:43,428 --> 00:37:47,681
for the original, which, for
the time being, remains hidden.
608
00:37:47,766 --> 00:37:53,469
But there's another treasure
room, across the globe in India,
609
00:37:53,563 --> 00:37:57,148
that, while its location
is known,
610
00:37:57,276 --> 00:38:00,810
people don't dare enter,
611
00:38:00,904 --> 00:38:05,991
because this treasure
is guarded by a deadly curse.
612
00:38:11,456 --> 00:38:14,749
SHATNER:
Heavily armed police officers patrol the entrance
613
00:38:14,876 --> 00:38:21,080
to an ancient Hindu temple,
the Sree Padmanabhaswamy Temple.
614
00:38:21,174 --> 00:38:23,249
By order of India's
Supreme Court,
615
00:38:23,343 --> 00:38:26,753
officials begin
unsealing six mysterious vaults
616
00:38:26,847 --> 00:38:28,471
which have remained locked
beneath the temple
617
00:38:28,557 --> 00:38:30,432
for hundreds of years.
618
00:38:31,768 --> 00:38:35,979
And when archaeologists
examined the first five vaults,
619
00:38:36,064 --> 00:38:41,484
they found untold billions
in ancient treasure.
620
00:38:41,570 --> 00:38:45,155
JIM DOBSON:
The government had to do an inventory of the vaults.
621
00:38:45,240 --> 00:38:46,773
So they did go in
and they documented everything
622
00:38:46,867 --> 00:38:47,949
in several of the chambers.
623
00:38:48,076 --> 00:38:50,610
One chamber was just
for ornaments and jewelry,
624
00:38:50,704 --> 00:38:52,278
another chamber was for jewels.
625
00:38:52,372 --> 00:38:54,113
And there were sacks and sacks
626
00:38:54,207 --> 00:38:56,166
of diamonds and rubies
and emeralds.
627
00:38:56,251 --> 00:38:59,285
There were thrones made of gold.
628
00:38:59,379 --> 00:39:01,454
There was a 300-pound gold veil.
629
00:39:01,548 --> 00:39:06,092
And there was a rope of gold
chain that was 1,100 pounds.
630
00:39:06,178 --> 00:39:09,796
And the reason there's
so much money in this temple
631
00:39:09,890 --> 00:39:13,800
is because of contributions
and taxes, and that started
632
00:39:13,894 --> 00:39:15,643
when the maharajas
and the rulers started taxing
633
00:39:15,771 --> 00:39:17,804
the lower caste system.
634
00:39:17,898 --> 00:39:20,306
SHATNER:
The total value of the treasure that was found
635
00:39:20,400 --> 00:39:21,641
in the first five chambers
636
00:39:21,735 --> 00:39:26,646
has been estimated to be worth
as much as $22 billion.
637
00:39:26,740 --> 00:39:29,148
But when officials
attempted to open the door
638
00:39:29,242 --> 00:39:34,987
to the sixth and final vault,
they made a shocking discovery.
639
00:39:35,082 --> 00:39:39,709
When it came to the sixth door,
which they call Chamber B,
640
00:39:39,795 --> 00:39:41,419
they were decorated with cobras.
641
00:39:41,505 --> 00:39:44,089
This is a sign of danger,
like a skull and crossbones.
642
00:39:44,174 --> 00:39:47,092
DEEPAK SHIMKHADA:
That gives you a message:
643
00:39:47,177 --> 00:39:50,178
do not enter,
or enter on your own risk.
644
00:39:50,305 --> 00:39:54,507
They are massive, huge cobras,
and they can be very deadly.
645
00:39:54,601 --> 00:39:57,677
This is a forbidden place.
646
00:39:57,771 --> 00:40:01,347
SHATNER:
A forbidden place?
647
00:40:01,441 --> 00:40:04,359
While that may sound
like a far-fetched notion,
648
00:40:04,486 --> 00:40:06,686
many believe there
is a very good reason
649
00:40:06,780 --> 00:40:09,188
not to tamper with Vault B.
650
00:40:09,282 --> 00:40:15,027
Because according to legend,
it may be cursed.
651
00:40:15,122 --> 00:40:18,030
You could not
go beyond this point
652
00:40:18,125 --> 00:40:21,042
because there are cobras,
there are nagas.
653
00:40:21,169 --> 00:40:26,381
Nagas are the mythical serpents
in Hinduism.
654
00:40:26,508 --> 00:40:30,260
And it has been said
that when they sealed a door,
655
00:40:30,345 --> 00:40:35,682
it was locked with what you call
Naga Paasam Mantra.
656
00:40:35,767 --> 00:40:40,478
It's-it's like a spell.
Through the Naga's mantra,
657
00:40:40,564 --> 00:40:42,897
it was locked.
658
00:40:43,024 --> 00:40:45,224
Everyone is scared of the nagas,
659
00:40:45,318 --> 00:40:48,227
and they are thinking
that it may be cursed.
660
00:40:48,321 --> 00:40:52,231
That is why, you know,
people do not dare to open it.
661
00:40:52,325 --> 00:40:55,660
It could cause
many ugly consequences.
662
00:40:55,745 --> 00:40:58,496
DOBSON:
Based on what they've heard, the people all fear
663
00:40:58,582 --> 00:41:02,417
that the world will end
if that chamber is opened.
664
00:41:02,544 --> 00:41:06,913
So they're really reticent
about doing anything.
665
00:41:07,007 --> 00:41:09,749
Whenever you hear a story
that there is trillions
666
00:41:09,843 --> 00:41:12,051
of dollars' worth
of buried treasure,
667
00:41:12,137 --> 00:41:14,086
people are always gonna
want to know more.
668
00:41:14,181 --> 00:41:17,765
This temple is not hidden.
This temple is very public.
669
00:41:17,893 --> 00:41:18,892
People know what's in it,
670
00:41:18,977 --> 00:41:21,227
how much is in it,
and what the value is.
671
00:41:21,313 --> 00:41:23,763
And yet it's hidden to us.
672
00:41:23,857 --> 00:41:27,767
We can't access it, we can't
see it, we can't touch it.
673
00:41:27,861 --> 00:41:30,937
So that's the real mystery.
674
00:41:31,031 --> 00:41:33,940
Would you be willing
to risk a deadly curse
675
00:41:34,034 --> 00:41:35,825
to find a hidden treasure, huh?
676
00:41:35,911 --> 00:41:39,621
(laughs) Would the potential
fortune be worth it,
677
00:41:39,748 --> 00:41:42,874
or are some treasures
not meant to be found?
678
00:41:43,877 --> 00:41:46,252
Perhaps their ultimate value
679
00:41:46,338 --> 00:41:50,548
lies in the mystery
and wonder they inspire,
680
00:41:50,634 --> 00:41:55,595
and our lives are richer
when some things remain hidden
681
00:41:55,680 --> 00:42:00,058
and unexplained.
682
00:42:00,936 --> 00:42:02,685
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