Treasure Hunting Law
Many people are fascinated by tales of lost treasures. Some
people even devote their lives to tracking down one or more historical
mysteries, while others dabble in treasure hunting as a hobby. But who actually
owns the treasure if someone does find it?
The Archaeological
Resources Protection Act of 1979 states that on public land (BLM lands,
national parks, etc.), archaeological finds belong to the government. Qualified
archaeologists can put in permits for excavation, and the finds can go to
universities or museums, but the objects still belong to the government. On
private land, a treasure would typically belong to the finder, if they are
excavating with the land owner’s permission. However, state rules vary. Also,
“treasure trove,” paper money or objects of gold or silver, must have been lost
for at least a few decades, so it is unlikely that the original owner would
come to reclaim it.
Of course, not everyone follows the law. I did some
volunteer training with the BLM for people interested in monitoring
archaeological sites. We were warned to never approach strangers digging in the
desert, as they might be illegal treasure hunters and might be violent. Life
can be just as exciting as fiction!
Inspired by Legend
In writing fiction, I took liberties with the Victorio Peak
Treasure, which is still considered an unsolved
mystery. According to the stories, the most likely location for the
treasure is now within the restricted area of the White Sands Missile Range.
I moved the treasure to public land, so my characters could actually find it.
Not that the adventure is easy!
In Desert Gold, quiet history
professor Erin uncovers a clue to a lost treasure cave, but minutes after her
discovery, a hit and run driver leaves her for dead. Is Drew, the handsome
helicopter pilot who found her bleeding in a ditch, really a hero, or one of
the enemy?
Erin won’t give up an important historical find without a
fight. She and her best friend Camie head into the New Mexico wilderness to
track the treasure. The wilderness holds its own dangers, from wild animals to
even wilder weather. The pair races to find the treasure as sinister men hunt
them. Just how far will Erin go to find the treasure and discover what she’s really
made of?
“The story has it all—action, romance, danger, intrigue,
lost treasure, not to mention a sizzling relationship....”
Excerpt:
Among all
the legends, all the fact and fiction, one story stood out. The Victorio Peak
legend had it all. A Franciscan priest and a swindler. Torture, murder, a
government cover-up. Where was the truth, among all the stories? Erin wanted to
find out. Over time, and with Camie’s encouragement, she’d started to take the
treasure hunt more seriously. It wasn’t so much for the treasure itself—that
would most likely belong to the government or the landowners. But it would make
her reputation, open up new job opportunities—change her life in ways she
hardly dared dream.
She
touched the book gently. The pages were falling out; she didn’t want to risk
carrying it around. Instead, Erin snapped a picture of the petroglyphs with her
phone. That would be enough to show Camie for now.
The timing
was perfect; she just had to turn in grades and field a few tearful last-minute
requests for extensions, and she’d be done for the semester. What better way to
spend the summer, than hunting for buried treasure?
Erin shook
her head. Who would’ve thought that she, the quiet, studious girl who’d spent
her entire adult life in academia in one way or another, would be planning such
an adventure?
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