In this article, we will explore the fascinating world of Montezuma's treasure and everything that this concept encompasses. From its origins to its relevance today, we will delve into key aspects that will allow us to thoroughly understand Montezuma's treasure and its impact in different areas. Through a thorough analysis and critical perspective, we will discover the importance of Montezuma's treasure in our current society and how it has evolved over time. From its implications in popular culture to its influence on the global economy, Montezuma's treasure is a topic that deserves to be explored in depth to understand its scope and relevance in today's world.
Montezuma's treasure is a legendary buried treasure said to be located in the Casa Grande ruins or elsewhere in the Southwestern United States and Mexico.[1] The legend is one of many treasure stories in American folklore. Thomas Penfield wrote, "There is not the slimmest thread of reality in this story which is common throughout Mexico and the southwestern United States. There are some puzzling aspects but the story, nevertheless, adds up to pure legend."[1]
One story[citation needed] tells of the 1520 imprisonment of Moctezuma II by Spanish conquistadors. With the conquistadors demanding a ransom in gold, runners were dispatched to warn tribes to hide their treasures. However, none of the histories of the conquest, such as The True History of the Conquest of New Spain by Bernal Díaz del Castillo, say that Montezuma was ever held for ransom by the conquistadors or that any people of the area were told to hide their treasure from the Spanish. A labyrinth found in modern times at the Casa Grande Ruins National Monument led to speculation that it might be home to some of the fabled treasure. Extensive excavation of the area, however, has turned up nothing to support the claim.[1]
According to John Mitchell, in 1847, during the Mexican American War, a Mexican aristocrat named Don Joaquin enslaved the local Apaches to dig for gold in the Sierra Estrellas. But later, as the United States Army entered the mountains, the Apache rose up against the Mexicans who had to hide their gold in a canyon near Montezuma's Head. Most of the Mexicans were killed but at least one man survived and later went back to the mountains in the 1880s with a treasure map to find the gold. However, the Apache still controlled the area and the Mexican man never found the lost treasure.[2]
Newspapers as far back as 1895[3][4] have published accounts of people who have claimed to have found this lost treasure.
The myth and superstitions about a curse on the treasure are sensationalized in a 2014 television program Raiders of the Lost Past which includes interviews of many family members of treasure hunters.[citation needed]
The treasure is the basis for an episode of Wagon Train entitled "The Alexander Portlass Story".[citation needed]