Armed with metal detectors, treasure hunters roam the landscapes of Greece, where myth and history intertwine. Drawn by whispered legends, ancient texts and the promise of lost riches they delve into the mountains, islands and forgotten ruins in pursuit of gold, relics and long-lost artifacts.
Treasure hunters are often drawn to locations of great historical significance, with the rugged mountainous regions of Greece being among their preferred destinations. These landscapes, steeped in history and mystery, have long served as silent witnesses to war, upheaval and human resilience.
Treasure hunters in Greece target mountainous areas
During World War II and the subsequent Greek Civil War (1946–1949), many villagers, fearing for their lives and possessions, resorted to hiding their valuables in secret caches. With no access to banks or secure storage facilities in these remote areas, people buried gold coins, jewelry and family heirlooms deep within the earth or concealed them inside natural enclosures such as caves, stone walls and hollowed-out tree trunks.
However, the brutal conflicts claimed countless lives and many of those who had hidden their treasures never survived to retrieve them. Over the decades, these hidden fortunes have become the stuff of local folklore, fueling speculation and inspiring generations of treasure hunters to embark on daring quests to uncover the lost wealth of the past.
Even today, rumors persist of forgotten hoards waiting to be discovered, buried beneath the very ground where history was once shaped by war and survival.
Antonis Vlachos stands out among treasure hunters. Not only does he own one of the few specialized shops in Greece that sell sophisticated metal detectors, but he also collaborates closely with the police to prevent illegal activities, such as the unauthorized excavation of ancient artifacts. For him, treasure hunting is more than just a business—it’s a passion, a lifelong hobby that combines adventure with a deep respect for history and the law.
He is also the only one of the treasure hunters who was willing to speak to Greek Reporter.
“Treasure hunters are in their thousands all over Greece. Perhaps most of the activity takes place the Peloponnese, Epirus, and Northern Greece,” he says.
“People have made money out of this activity and understandably they keep a low profile. It’s like winning the lotto. Nobody wants to reveal their identity and the value of the treasure they found.”
The legend of the Ali Pasha treasure
For decades treasure hunters searched for the so-called riches supposedly left behind by Ali Pasha, an Ottoman ruler of Ioannina known for his atrocities (1740–1822).
According to local folklore, Ali Pasha, anticipating his eventual fall from power, concealed vast amounts of treasure in various secret locations across Epirus, Thessaly and western Greece. His personal wealth came from heavy taxation, trade, extortion and alliances with foreign powers (including the British and the French).
Treasure hunters from all over the world began searching for his fortune to no avail. The first organized operation to find the treasure took place in 1913, with the liberation of Ioannina, by an Italian company. For five whole years its workers excavated the surrounding areas without result.
The latest highly publicized case was that of a Greek-Australian treasure hunter, Vangelis Dimas, who financed an excavation to locate the hoard in 2012 in Thessaly.
“It remains a topic of speculation among people, as historically, there is no concrete evidence that such a treasure ever existed,” Vlachos notes.
“Some believe that one of Ali Pasha’s sons took the wealth and fled, but the details of what truly happened—and how—remain unknown. Over time, numerous legends and myths have emerged, though only a small portion of them may be based on actual events,” he adds.
The legend of Ali Pasha is just one of many—“in every coffee shop in the country there is talk of a lost treasure that is supposedly somewhere nearby.”
Maps supposedly showing lost treasures in Greece
Vlachos is not prepared to divulge the value of the treasures that have been unearthed in Greece over the recent decades, but he insists that many people make a good living out of their endeavors. Some people—he says—go to the beaches at night and use metal detectors to search for jewelry lost by bathers in the previous days or even months.
He reveals that maps of supposed buried treasures are circulating among treasure hunters. They are made in a way that makes them look old, to give the impression that they are authentic. “Various crafty people make them and sell them to naive people, from 1,000 euros. I have even heard a price of 15,000 euros.”
Vlachos also says that most gold hunters operate within a legal framework and that illegals are a minority.
To proceed with an excavation, one must have three permits. A permit to possess a metal detector, then they must obtain a research permit, issued by the Ministry of Culture and the local Antiquities Ephorates. For the permit to be issued, a process that can take from three months to a year, the proposed search area must not be located within a designated archeological site.
If any findings emerge during the search, an excavation request is submitted to the appropriate authorities.