After a 1000-year-old mystery, tucked away under the Lemminkainen temple cave, the world’s largest treasure trove is meters away from discovery.
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If the ‘Lemminkäinen Reservoir’ is discovered, it is thought to be the world's largest and most lucrative haul.
A Finnish mystic, Ior Bock, originally divulged the treasure's location in 1984, as he did not want the family secret to be lost. Bock was the landowner and self-proclaimed descendant of Lemminkäinen, who appear in Finnish pagan mythology.
Lemminkainen hoard
The gang, known as Temple 12, began their hunt in 1987 and have spent countless summers searching for the treasure for six hours, every day.
It is now led by author Karl Borgen, who is the world authority of the Lemminkainen haul. He has also documented the adventures of the group in his book, Temporarily Insane.
Borgen, 60, told The Mirror:
There is now talk in the camp of being on the brink of a major breakthrough, which in real terms could be the discovery of the world's largest and most valuable treasure trove.
Sweden, Norway, the Netherlands, Australia, Russia, the United States, and Germany are among the countries represented in the group.
Temple cave jewels
Located 20 miles east of Helsinki, Finland, in the huge Sibbosberg cave system, wherein the hoard consisting of gold, jewels and dated artefacts are located.
There is supposed to be a spiralling tunnel inside the temple with little rooms off it where the cache, accumulated through centuries, is kept. The last collection was added in 987AD, and that is when the entrance to the temple was shut and buried.
The cache is thought to be hidden in Sipoo's underground temple. It is said to contain 50,000 gemstones, including rubies, sapphires, emeralds, and diamonds; along with 1,000 artefacts dating back to centuries, as well as a handful of 18-carat gold life-size sculptures.
There were several voyagers who thought of looting the reserve, and none of them were successful. The world is watching the Temple Twelve’s excavation, and we'll know whether or not there is a treasure by early next year.
