The Treasure of Lima
A ship's captain is said to have sailed off with the riches of Lima's churches and buried them on a Pacific island.
What was reported
In 1820, as Spanish rule in Peru faced revolution, the story goes that the treasures of Lima, including gold, silver, jewels and a life-size gold statue of the Virgin Mary, were loaded onto a British merchant ship, the Mary Dear, under Captain William Thompson, for safekeeping. Thompson and his crew sailed off with them instead and buried them on Cocos Island.
Cocos Island, about 550 km off the coast of Costa Rica, has since drawn hundreds of treasure-hunting expeditions.
Explanations offered
There's no solid evidence that the treasure existed in the form the legend describes, and none has ever been found. Cocos Island is now a protected national park and a UNESCO World Heritage Site, and treasure hunting there is banned.
- When
- Said to be hidden in 1820
- Where
- Cocos Island, Costa Rica
- Witnesses
- Legend, and generations of treasure hunters
- Status
- Never found
Famous cases are real, widely reported events. Each file sets out what witnesses said and the explanations that have been offered, without taking a side.