Nearly everyone dreams of finding a treasure. The Medieval Crime and Justice Museum’s extensive special exhibition shows how far back this dream goes and with which means people have tried to discover treasure. From the Late Middle Ages to the early 19th century, treasure hunters used magic and tried to communicate with spirits that allegedly guarded treasures. Later, between 1500 and 1800, treasure hunting became more widespread. Slowly, over time, scientific methods for finding and evaluating hidden antique artifacts were established. Yet, to this day, the regulations governing who legally owns a treasure trove are complicated. The situation is particularly confusing in Germany, since the various federal states regulate this issue differently. The exhibition covers this issue, as well as the origins and development of legal claims to treasure.
 
Markus Hirte, Johannes Dillinger
 
2024, 156 sites with numerous coror images, 16 x 23 cm, Softcover