Treasure chest (historical)

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As a cultural idea, the treasure chest is ubiquitous. It is a common element in modern gaming (see Dungeons and Dragons), video gaming, and fiction. The primary idea behind the treasure chest is a romantic one, that pirates and other idealized criminals faced constant persecution and lived such fast-paced lives that they sometimes had to quickly dispose of their ill-gotten gain to return to and reclaim later.

Hence, the idea that treasure could easily be held in a wooden chest and buried, with a treasure map to guide the burier (or a lucky recipient of the map) back, was born.

[edit] Historical reality

According to David Cordingly, "[T]here are very few documented examples of real pirates burying their loot. Most pirates preferred to spend their plunder..." (179).

Cordingly cites the first recording of wooden chests being obtained or constructed for the express purpose of stowing away pirated wealth to Captain Stratton, who buried "six bags filled with silver coins" and "six heavy wooden chests" at the mouth of a river near Chesapeake Bay, shortly before he was tried and convicted of piracy in 1720 (178).

Sir Francis Drake also buried some pirated wealth, ca. 1670, though he did not use chests or a map, and in fact left a detachment of his men to guard the treasure till his return, less than twelve hours later (179).

[edit] History and legend

It seems that the myth of buried treasure far outweighed the reality. Partially responsible for this phenomenon is the bragging of such seamen as Captain Kidd, though undoubtedly many others as well (180ff).

More impacting is the traditional line of pirate fiction, beginning with Robert Louis Stevenson's early novel Treasure Island up to and including Disney's Pirates of the Caribbean. Cordingly, again, states that "The effect of Treasure Island on our perception of pirates cannot be overestimated," and says of the idea of treasure maps leading to buried treasure that, "[I]t is an entirely fictional device" (7).