Brian Haughton.com

Is there any truth behind the legend that Joseph of Arimathea brought the Holy Thorn, and even the Holy Grail, from the Holy Land to Glastonbury? Read more >>

Buried for most of its life in the desert sand, an air of mystery has always surrounded the Great Sphinx, causing speculation about its age and purpose, method of construction, concealed chambers, role in prophesy, and relationship to the equally mysterious pyramids. Read more >>

Located in modern Turkey, Göbekli Tepe is one of the most important archaeological sites in the world. The stunning 10,000 year old complex has led some researchers to claim it was the site of the biblical Garden of Eden.  Read more >>

The undeciphered Phaistos Disc is one of the greatest puzzles of the ancient Greek world. Almost everything about this allegedly ancient artifact is controversial, from its purpose and meaning, to its original area of manufacture. The mysterious clay tablet was found on the Greek island of Crete Read more >>

Odd theories, mysterious deaths and the dark side of historical research. Read the final part of the strange story of the Amber Room here

Read Part Two of the strange story of the Amber Room here

You can now follow me on Twitter

Follow @wpbeginner

Read the first part of the strange story of the Amber Room here

I have just signed the contract for my new book to be titled Ancient Treasure.

Why are so many people fascinated by treasure? Is it purely a desire for wealth or is it also the romantic appeal of tales of lost ancient artefacts? Indeed the stories behind certain treasures, especially those looted from their archaeological context, read like a cross between Indiana Jones and James Bond. Such a case is Sevso Treasure, a hoard of 14 large silver vessels from the late Roman Empire, estimated to be worth $200 million on today’s market. Looted from an unknown Roman palace in the 1970s the story of these ‘cursed’ pieces as some researchers have called them, involves at least one possible murder, shady consortiums, allegations of forgery, and back market double-dealing. Or the celebrated Amber Room, a complete chamber decoration of amber panels backed with gold leaf and mirrors, stolen by the Nazis in 1941 from the Palace of Tsarskoye Selo, near Saint Petersburg, and brought to the castle at Königsberg (modernKaliningradin Russia) from where it disappeared, though rumours persist that it still survives today as a part of the Nazi loot known as the Štěchovice Treasure. This book is about such ancient treasures and the astonishing stories behind them.