From lost golden cities to pirate loots: 10 treasures worth looking for

Image: Bjorn Pierre

Everyone has, at some point, imagined stumbling across a hidden chest of gold or a mysterious jewel lost for centuries. Most of us only strike gold in our dreams, but history is filled with treasures that have yet to be discovered. While some are probably tall tales, others may be buried just beneath our feet. Here are 10 of the most curious (and glittering) mysteries still unsolved.

Image: Daniel J. Schwarz

Centuries ago, there was an entire city gleaming with gold, hidden deep in the thick, uncharted jungles of South America. In the 1500s, Spanish conquistadors became obsessed with this dazzling vision, driven by tales of a great ruler who offered invaluable treasures to the gods and covered his body in gold dust.

The promise of limitless wealth lured expedition after expedition into dangerous territories, where many lives were lost along the way. Yet, despite many years of searching, El Dorado was never found. Was there truly a golden kingdom, or was it nothing more than the world’s most extravagant legend?

Image: János Venczák

In 1216, King John of England somehow managed to lose an entire royal treasure convoy while crossing a tricky inlet in the North Sea known as The Wash. According to lore, the heavy wagons were swamped by the incoming tide and never resurfaced. Crowns, jewels, and priceless relics disappeared into the muck. Historians estimate the haul would be worth millions today.

Image: Alex Boyd

The Wild West outlaw Jesse James became famous for robbing banks and trains with style, but the bigger mystery is what happened with the priceless loot. Did he tuck away the money for a rainy day? Campfire tales insist he buried it in caves, canyons, and lonely hillsides, supposedly leaving behind cryptic maps and clues.

Generations of treasure hunters have chased after the myth, shovels in hand, hoping for a jackpot that never turns up. If James is chuckling somewhere, it’s likely at the sight of modern folks still poking around the prairie, convinced his ghost left them a scavenger hunt to play.

Image: Peter Burdon

When conquistadors captured the Incan emperor Atahualpa in 1532, he made an offer that could outshine any ransom in history: a chamber packed floor-to-ceiling with gold and silver. While some of that treasure was taken, much of it mysteriously vanished after the Spaniards executed the king anyway. And we’re not talking mere trinkets; historians estimate hundreds of thousands of pounds of precious metal. To this day, no one knows where the rest of the bounty is.

Image: Andrej Sachov

Back when pirates ruled the world, British privateer Henry Morgan became famous for plundering Caribbean towns, carting off gold, silver, and whatever else he could find. Rumor has it, he didn’t spend it all but stashed mountains of riches on remote islands. San Andrés locals will even guide you to "Morgan’s Cave." Spoiler alert: it’s totally empty—unless you count bats and sea breeze. Treasure or not, the cave’s real prize is probably the tall tale itself.

Image: Marcus Woodbridge

In the 1500s, a Portuguese ship set sail carrying what can only be described as a floating fortune—around 120,000 pounds of gold, along with crates of jewels, spices, and other exotic goods from the East. But before it could reach Europe, a violent storm struck near Sumatra, sending the vessel and its priceless cargo to the bottom of the sea. Despite centuries of searching, the wreck has never been located. For modern treasure hunters, it remains the ultimate fantasy.

Image: Nicholas Nduati

Legend has it that during the 1940s, Japanese general Tomoyuki Yamashita secreted away thousands of tons of gold somewhere in the Philippines. Over the years, treasure hunters have dug, scanned, and explored, occasionally uncovering small trinkets but not the vast bulk of the WWII loot. True or not, the story continues to fuel the imaginations of swashbucklers who keep exploring jungles and tunnels, leaving local hardware stores empty of shovels, metal detectors, and digging gear.

Image: Abimelec Castillo

When Spanish forces conquered Mexico, the vast treasure said to belong to Emperor Montezuma seemed to vanish into thin air. Chronicles speak of mountains of gold, silver, and dazzling artifacts, yet none were ever officially recovered. Some legends claim the riches were hidden away in secret caves, while others insist the treasure was dumped into Lake Texcoco.

The truth remains a mystery, but the allure hasn’t faded. And who knows? If you happen to stumble across a golden mask or bright jewel while wandering the streets of Mexico City, you’ll have uncovered one of history’s most tantalizing legends.

Image: Nadjib BR

Pirate William Kidd’s name is forever tied to the rumor that, before his capture, he secretly buried a fortune somewhere along his sailing routes. Ever since, countless maps have surfaced, each claiming to point the way to his hidden gold, with locations ranging from the Caribbean islands to the rocky shores of New England. None of these supposed guides has ever led to the treasure, yet that hasn’t stopped adventurers from trying their luck.

Image: Francesco Ungaro

A fleet of twelve Spanish galleons once departed from Havana, Cuba, their holds packed to the brim with gold, silver, and sparkling gems destined for Europe. But fate had other plans. An unforgiving hurricane smashed the ships against reefs and dragged their cargo to the ocean floor off Florida’s coast.

Over the centuries, divers and fortune seekers have managed to recover scattered coins, jewelry, and fragments of the wreck; yet, the vast majority of the treasure remains hidden beneath the waves. So, if your next vacation to the Sunshine State involves a trip to the beach, it might be worth bringing along a snorkel!

NAME ANCESTRY

14 Surprising Origin Stories Behind State Names In The USA

Image: Pin Adventure Map

Ever wondered where most US states’ names come from? From Native American roots to foreign or made-up words, the stories behind many of them are riddled with surprising historical references. Although the origin of some US states’ names is fairly obvious, many derive from unexpected people or places. The origin of names like Colorado, Montana, or Nevada are easy to infer —especially if you know a bit of Spanish— but many others have Native American origins with intriguing meanings. Some are even derived from fiction. If you ever wanted to know where names like Oregon, Connecticut, or Wisconsin come from, you are in the right place. Enjoy the surprising etymologies behind some of the names that make our country.

Image: Joshua Woroniecki

Interestingly, for a state whose main economic activity is agriculture, the word Alabama comes from the Choctaw language and can be translated as "plant-cutters" or "vegetation pickers", recalling the farming practices of the Native Americans that lived in this area.

Image: olio creative

Alaska is a corruption of an Aleut word that means "mainland", but can be translated literally as "the object towards which the action of the sea is directed". This is one of those names that manage to bring poetry into a word as simple and down-to-earth as land.

Image: Vital Sinkevich

This one comes from… a Spanish adventure novel! Bet you didn’t expect that. In Las Sergas de Esplandin by Garcia Ordez de Montalvo, a book from the 1500s, there is a fictional place called the "Island of California". Even when the modern state of California is clearly not an island, some die-hard fanatic of the novel decided to bring the name to life here in the U.S.

Image: Juliette Dickens

Derived from the Algonquian word quinnehtukqut, which can be translated as "besides the long tidal river", in reference to the river Connecticut. If you are wondering what the "tidal" part means exactly, this is because the Connecticut River's flow and level are effectively influenced by tides along much of its course. Certainly some amazing insight into the rigorous knowledge of local hydrology that Native Americans managed to accrue over the centuries.

Image: Luke McKeown

Although the origin of this name is disputed, there are two main theories. One suggests that the islands may have been named after Hawaii Loa, their traditional discoverer. However, others have speculated that it is actually derived from the ancient Polynesian word hawaiki, meaning "place of the gods".

Image: NEOM

Another crazy one. Although the name was first claimed to be derived from a Shoshone word that meant "Gem of the Mountains", it is highly likely that the word was fabricated by George M. Willing, and meant as a practical joke.

Image: Stéfano Girardelli

Quite literally, "land of Indians", using a Latin suffix. The word Indians originally referred to the ancient dwellers of the shores of the Indus River, in South and Central Asia.

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"Toto, I've a feeling we're not in Kansas anymore!" said Dorothy, from The Wizard of Oz, right after a rampant tornado literally lifted her house in the air and took it to God knows where. Well, this US state’s fame for violent winds predates even the first settlers, since Kansas is a Native American word used by the Dakota, strongly related to the idea of "wind".

Image: Drew Beamer

This state owes its name to an Iroquoian word that means "land of tomorrow". Quite a blockbuster-worthy movie title, if you ask me.

Image: Mercedes Mehling

The origin story behind the name of "The Pine Tree State" is still disputed. However, there are some interesting theories. One states that it derives from "mainland", as a form of distinction from the many coastal islands in the vicinity. Other theories propose that it was named in honor of Henrietta Maria, queen of England, or after the province of Mayne in France.

Image: Anthony Cantin

To the Native Americans that lived in this region, Missouri meant "town of the large canoes", as the Missouri tribes were renowned for their skill in making dugout canoes.

Image: Ashley Levinson

A largely disputed one. Many suggest that the name has Spanish origins, being similar to other words like orejón (meaning "big ear") or orégano, in reference to a type of plant (similar to the Mediterranean oregano) that grows in the southern part of the state.

Image: Donnie Rosie

This is the only state that has a part of its founder’s name in it. It is widely believed that Pennsylvania means "Penn’s Woodland", and was named as such in honor of Sir William Penn, father of its founder William Penn.

Image: Brydon McCluskey

This is probably a French corruption of a native Miami word that meant "it lies red" or "river running through a red place", in reference to the bed of the river Wisconsin.

If our quick dive into the peculiar world of US state names wasn’t enough to quench your curiosity, stay around! We will keep uploading more content related to language and the weird stories and etymologies behind many English and foreign words.