World Courant
The world’s longest treasure hunt seems to have come to an finish, following an announcement in France {that a} buried golden owl statue has lastly been unearthed after 31 years.
“We verify that the little owl reproduction was excavated final evening and on the identical time an answer was despatched to the net verification system,” reads a message revealed on the hunt’s official chat line on Thursday morning.
“It’s due to this fact pointless now to journey to each place the place you suppose the cache is likely to be situated.”
The put up was posted by Michel Becker, who illustrated the unique Chouette d’Or (Golden Owl) e book in 1993 and created the buried statue.
No additional details about the situation or the finder was out there and Mr Becker couldn’t be reached by phone.
Tens of hundreds of individuals took half within the search, which yielded an unlimited quantity of secondary literature within the type of books, pamphlets and Web websites.
All of them adopted eleven complicated puzzles set out within the first e book by its creator, Max Valentin. When he handed away in 2009, Mr. Becker took over the operation.
The complicated clues would result in a exact level someplace in France, the place a bronze reproduction of the particular Golden Owl could be discovered underground. The winner would obtain the dear gold authentic.
The world of chouetteurs – because the treasure hunters are known as – was in turmoil Thursday morning as information of the reported discover unfold.
“Lastly – liberated!” reads a message on the hunt’s chat line on the Discord discussion board.
“I did not suppose I might dwell to see the day,” mentioned one other. And: “It is like Covid. So good when it is over.”
‘Surprisingly sufficient, I am relieved. I am now desperately in search of the options to see if I used to be heading in the right direction,” mentioned one other person.
Some hunters remained skeptical, fearing the cache may have been found with a steel detector. In keeping with the foundations, the finder should show that he has solved the riddles accurately and that he didn’t simply come across the owl by likelihood.
After Mr. Valentin’s dying, the hunt was embroiled in authorized battle for a number of years, and never all owl hunters accepted the central position that Mr. Becker had inherited.
Mr. Becker himself initially had no information of the state of affairs of the buried owl. The answer was in a sealed envelope within the possession of Mr. Valentin’s household.
However after the authorized points have been resolved, Mr. Becker learn the decision and traveled to the location to confirm that the owl was nonetheless there.
Lately, he has launched extra clues to the owl neighborhood, sparking curiosity in a brand new era of chouetteurs.
Treasure hunt for little owl ends after 31 years in France
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