The world’s longest treasure hunt appears to have come to an end, after an announcement in France that a buried statuette of a golden owl has finally been unearthed – after 31 years.
“We confirm that the replica of the golden owl was dug up last night, and that simultaneously a solution has been sent on the online verification system,” reads a post published on Thursday on the hunt’s official chatline.
“It is therefore now pointless traveling to dig at any place you believe the cache might be situated.”
The message was posted by Michel Becker, who illustrated the original Chouette d’Or (golden owl) book and sculpted the buried statuette in 1993.
The treasure—a replica of the original golden owl statuette, which is made of gold, silver and diamonds—was buried somewhere in France back in 1993 by Régis Hauser, the author of the treasure hunt book On The Trail Of The Golden Owl. Written under the pseudonym Max Valentin, the book contains 11 riddles that solved the mystery of the treasure’s location.
The finder of the buried replica will be awarded with the original statuette, which is estimated to be worth around €150,000 (around $165,000), according to a documentary on the treasure hunt by French broadcaster Canal+.
Golden owl treasure hunt: Legal disputes and controversy
In 2021, the official organizer of the hunt, Michel Becker, announced that the statuette had been found but was missing. This led to speculation and accusations of foul play.
There have been several legal disputes between Becker and other parties involved in the hunt, including allegations of fraud and misrepresentation.
Despite the controversies, tens of thousands of people have taken part in the search, which has spawned a huge secondary literature in books, pamphlets and Internet sites.
The complex clues were supposed to lead to a precise point somewhere in France, where a bronze replica of the actual golden owl would be found under the ground. The winner would get the precious gold original.
Some hunters remained skeptical of the discovery, fearing that the cache might have been discovered with a metal detector. Under the rules, the finder has to show that they correctly solved the enigmas and did not just stumble upon the owl by chance.
The furor surrounding the Golden Owl is due to a combination of factors, including the significant monetary value of the prize, the complex nature of the riddles, and the controversies surrounding the hunt. It was one of the most intriguing and enigmatic treasure hunts in history.
