The world’s longest treasure hunt seems to have come to an finish, after an announcement in France {that a} buried statuette of a golden owl has lastly been unearthed – after 31 years.
“We affirm that the duplicate of the golden owl was dug up final night time, and that concurrently an answer has been despatched on the web verification system,” reads a submit revealed on Thursday morning on the hunt’s official chatline.
“It’s subsequently now pointless travelling to dig at anyplace you imagine the cache is likely to be located.”
The message was posted by Michel Becker, who illustrated the unique Chouette d’Or (golden owl) guide and sculpted the buried statuette in 1993.
No additional details about the location or the finder was obtainable and Mr Becker was not contactable by phone.
Tens of 1000’s of individuals have taken half within the search, which has spawned an enormous secondary literature in books, pamphlets and Web websites.
They’ve all been following 11 difficult puzzles set out within the first guide by its creator, Max Valentin. When he died in 2009, Mr Becker took over the operation.
The advanced clues had been alleged to result in a exact level someplace in France, the place a bronze duplicate of the particular golden owl can be discovered below the bottom. The winner would get the valuable gold unique.
The world of chouetteurs – because the treasure-hunters are known as – was in uproar on Thursday morning as information of the reported discover unfold.
“Lastly – liberated!” reads one submit on the hunt’s chatline on the Discord discussion board.
“I didn’t suppose I’d stay to see the day,” reads one other. And: “It’s like Covid. So good when it’s over.”
“Curiously, I’m relieved. I’m determined to know the options now to see if I used to be on the proper path,” feedback one other consumer.
Some hunters remained sceptical, fearing that the cache might need been found with a metallic detector. Underneath the foundations, the finder has to point out that they appropriately solved the enigmas and didn’t simply bump into the owl by probability.
The hunt was mired in authorized rows for some years after Mr Valentin’s dying, and never all owl-hunters accepted Mr Becker’s inheritance of the central function.
Mr Becker himself initially had no information of the scenario of the buried owl. The answer was in a sealed envelope within the possession of Mr Valentin’s household.
However after the authorized difficulties had been resolved, Mr Becker learn the answer and travelled to the spot to confirm that the owl was nonetheless there.
Lately, he has launched extra clues to the owl neighborhood, triggering curiosity in a brand new technology of chouetteurs.