Copper Scroll mentioned in the Guardian

THE COPPER SCROLL gets a mention in the Guardian in a reader submission in the Notes and Queries column:

Have treasure maps ever existed?

While not exactly a map, the copper scroll, which was discovered among the dead sea scrolls, does contain details of the location of 63 deposits of buried treasure. Unfortunately, the directions provided are very localised and use names that have passed out of common usage, which means they are of no practical help to a modern treasure hunter.

However, four maps that could reveal the location of buried treasure were discovered in the 1920s, hidden in furniture, which, it was claimed, had belonged to the Scottish pirate captain, William Kidd. The British Museum initially thought them to be genuine, but more recently their authenticity has been called into question.

As with the copper scroll, the details given are too vague to be of much use, although an island shown on one of the maps is thought by some to resemble Oak Island in Nova Scotia, where a treasure hunt has been ongoing since the late 18th century, with little to show for it.

Geoff Clifton, Solihull, West Mids

It's 64 locations actually. But yes, so far there hasn't been much luck in locating the treasures, although Richard Freund has argued that he has found one. As you see from the link, this is debatable. More on the Copper Scroll and related matters here and here (and follow the links).