Buzz
Despite countless TV programs dedicated to unraveling the world's greatest mysteries and fearless explorers searching for lost artifacts, many of history's most iconic treasures remain elusive. Among them are an opulent chamber, a massive yellow gemstone, and the writings of a celebrated Greek poetess. Below are some of these enduring puzzles.
1. THE AMBER ROOM
Crafted in the 1700s by German sculptor Andreas Schlüter and Danish amber craftsman Gottfried Wolfram, and presented to Russia in 1716, the Amber Room in Catherine Palace was a jewel of the Saint Petersburg region. Adorned with precious stones, gold, and intricate amber panels, it was often referred to as the "Eighth Wonder of the World."
As World War II raged on and the German army approached Saint Petersburg, the curators of Catherine Palace realized they needed to protect their prized possession. Attempts to dismantle the Amber Room failed as the brittle amber shattered, so they concealed it behind wallpaper. Despite their efforts, German soldiers discovered it, disassembled it, and transported it in crates to Königsberg, then a German city (now part of Russia). The Amber Room was briefly displayed in the Königsberg castle museum before its fate became uncertain. Some experts argue it was destroyed during wartime bombings, while others believe it remains hidden. Although there have been occasional reports of its discovery—and verified fragments surfaced in 1997—the majority is still missing. In 2003, a replica of the Amber Room was unveiled near Saint Petersburg, offering visitors a glimpse of its former splendor.
2. SAPPHO'S POEMS
Sir Lawrence Alma Tadema, Sappho and Alcaeus (1881) | Hulton Archive/Getty ImagesHistorical records suggest that the Greek poet Sappho wrote nine volumes of poetry, but only a few complete poems and fragments on papyrus and pottery shards survive. Some fragments contain mere snippets of text, yet they reveal the intensity of her work: "I desire/And I crave," one fragment states. Many of these pieces endure due to her widespread fame in ancient times, as her writings were often cited by other authors.
More of Sappho's writings may still be waiting to be found. Excavations in the late 19th to early 20th century at a garbage site in Oxyrhynchus, Egypt, uncovered precious fragments of her poetry. As recently as 2014
3. THE FLORENTINE DIAMOND
Legend has it that Charles the Bold, the Duke of Burgundy, carried this 132.27-carat yellow diamond into the 1477 Battle of Nancy as a good luck charm. However, the gem failed to protect him, and he perished along with his prized possession. His body was later recovered from the battlefield, but the diamond had vanished, reportedly taken by a scavenger who sold it for two francs, mistaking it for mere glass.
In the 1920s, art historian Nello Tarchiani conducted archival research that suggested the diamond had no ties to the duke. The gem originated in southern India, where it remained until the Portuguese conquered the region in the 16th century. It eventually reached Europe and passed through the hands of several prominent figures, including Ferdinand de’ Medici, the Duke of Tuscany, in 1601. It was in the Medici treasury in Florence that the diamond earned its name—the Florentine Diamond—and likely acquired its dazzling, 126-facet double rose cut.
When Anna Maria Luisa de' Medici, the last of the Medici rulers, died in 1743, the diamond did not remain with the treasures she left to the Tuscan state. Instead, Francis Stephan of Lorraine (later the Grand Duke of Tuscany and Holy Roman Emperor) purchased it for his wife, Empress Maria Teresa, the final heir of the House of Habsburg. For a time, the Florentine Diamond adorned the crown jewels in Vienna. After the Austro-Hungarian Empire fell following World War I, it is believed the diamond was taken into exile in Switzerland by its last emperor, Charles I.
But where is it now? Numerous speculations surround its disappearance, including the possibility that the exiled emperor sold it, potentially cutting it into smaller stones. Some suggest it was stolen and smuggled to South America. With no sightings in decades, its location remains an enigma.
4. FABERGÉ EGGS
Peter Macdiarmid/Getty ImagesThe renowned House of Fabergé was once Russia's premier jeweler, with 500 artisans crafting everything from mantel clocks to cigarette cases into intricate masterpieces. Their most celebrated creations are the jewel-encrusted Easter eggs made for Czars Alexander III and Nicholas II, gifted to their wives and mothers. Each egg held a unique surprise, such as the Trans-Siberian Railway Egg (featuring a gold and platinum wind-up train) and the Bay Tree Egg (designed like a tree with a mechanical singing bird). After the Russian Revolution toppled the Romanov Dynasty and the royal family was executed, the Soviet regime confiscated the eggs. While Lenin aimed to preserve this cultural legacy, Stalin viewed them as financial assets, leading to their sale. Of the 50 Imperial Eggs (as the czars' eggs are known), seven remain unaccounted for.
Details about the missing eggs are scarce. Few photographs exist—the sole image of the Cherub with Chariot Egg is a reflection in a display case's glass. While some records describe the surprises inside, others remain unknown. In 2012, a man from the Midwest who purchased what he believed was a decorative item for its gold content decided to search online for the name on the small clock inside: “Vacheron Constantin.” To his astonishment, he learned that his $14,000 purchase was one of the lost Imperial Eggs, valued at $33 million.
5. CROWN JEWELS OF IRELAND
Lord Dudley, Grand Master of the Order of St. Patrick, wearing what's often called the Irish Crown Jewels | National Library of Australia, Wikimedia Commons // Public DomainOn July 6, 1907, the regalia of the Grand Master of the Order of St. Patrick—known as the "Crown Jewels of Ireland"—were found to be missing, with the keys brazenly left in the safe's lock. The valuable items, including a diamond star and badge, had been gifted to the order of knights in 1830. Adding to the insult, five collars belonging to Knight Members of the Order were also stolen.
Security measures may have been somewhat relaxed. Although a secure room was constructed for Dublin Castle in 1903, the safe meant to protect the jewels was too large to fit through the door, so it was stored in a library vault.
An inquiry was promptly initiated, but even after a century, the mystery remains unsolved. One theory suggests the investigation was stopped by Edward VII's orders because it began exposing a sexual scandal at Dublin Castle. A prime suspect is Francis Shackleton, the castle's deputy and brother of the renowned explorer Ernest Shackleton; some believe he may have been attempting to fund his brother's polar expedition.
6. ART FROM THE ISABELLA STEWART GARDNER MUSEUM
Empty frames at the Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum | Federal Bureau of Investigation, Wikimedia Commons // Public DomainIn the early hours of March 18, 1990, two men posing as police officers were let into the Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum in Boston by security guards. Once inside, they restrained the guards and revealed their true mission: to steal art. They escaped with 13 pieces worth $500 million, marking the largest unsolved art heist in history.
Among the stolen works were pieces by Vermeer, Rembrandt, Degas, and Manet. Oddly, the thieves also took a bronze eagle from a Napoleonic flag and an ancient Chinese beaker, bypassing more valuable items nearby. Due to the museum’s permanent collection and layout—a legacy of art collector Isabella Stewart Gardner—the empty frames of the missing artworks remain on display, serving as a memorial and a reminder that the thieves are still free. The FBI suspects the paintings ended up in organized crime networks in Philadelphia but has had no leads since 2003. A reward of $10 million is currently offered for information leading to their recovery.
7. THE HONJŌ MASAMUNE
At the close of World War II, Japanese citizens were mandated to surrender privately owned weapons, including historical artifacts. Among these was the Honjō Masamune, a legendary sword from the Kamakura period. Crafted by Masamune, who lived around 1260-1340 and is regarded as Japan’s finest swordsmith, the blade was renowned for its durability and craftsmanship.
Its final owner, Tokugawa Iemasa, submitted the Honjō Masamune, along with other ancestral swords, to a Tokyo police station in accordance with Allied directives. The swords were transferred to someone in the Foreign Liquidations Commission of AFWESPAC (Army Forces, Western Pacific) and then vanished. Some surrendered swords from this period were taken to the United States by American soldiers, while others were melted down or dumped at sea. To this day, the Honjō Masamune’s fate remains a mystery.
