Summary of Pie Grande's Theory on Moctezuma's Treasure
I have posted over several years my investigation on the theory that Moctezuma's treasure is buried within 100 feet of my property line somewhere in rural Mexico. One member said it took him three days to read all my detailed postings. At the other extreme, one person (essentially) assumed I had heard drunks talking and spun a major web based on minimal information. It was suggested I make up some sort of index to my postings. After some thought, I chose to make a summary thread.
I have posted over several years my investigation on the theory that Moctezuma's treasure is buried within 100 feet of my property line somewhere in rural Mexico. One member said it took him three days to read all my detailed postings. At the other extreme, one person (essentially) assumed I had heard drunks talking and spun a major web based on minimal information. It was suggested I make up some sort of index to my postings. After some thought, I chose to make a summary thread.
- Evidence such a treasure existed. Cortes said Moctezuma put them in a house in Tenochtitlan (Mexico City). There was a stone box. They opened it and found treasure. Bernal Diaz said that treasure was around 700,000 pesos, which I calculate to be 20 tons, of gold and jewels. Check my figures by Googling for peso, and multiply it out.
- During the Noche Triste, Cortes and his soldiers grabbed up the treasure and tried to run for it. Cortes said the Aztecs attacked, and most of the treasure fell into the water and was lost. Diaz said the Aztecs told him they had divers who got it all back. Diaz also said 70 Tlaxcalan soldiers did get away with their loads. A friend here said 70 soldiers could handle around 5 tons with ease. That treasure was sent to Spain, but the ship sank just off the coast of Mexico. That leaves 15 tons which went somewhere. The question is WHERE.
- There are vague legends that the treasure went a couple months north into the current USA. That would make no military sense at all. People were dying in large numbers of small pox, and it would have taken a large force to make it there.
- Much of my investigation could be described as reverse engineering. Trying to duplicate the thought processes of the Aztecs at that time. They were brilliant military strategists so thinking like a military strategist can take you a long way..
- So, why would it be exactly here? There are a number of reasons. First, local oral tradition says it is here, and that it took a week to bury it. This land was at that time property of the Moctezuma family. The family used to come here for a country place, and they knew it well, so it makes sense while deciding where to store it this location would be considered, no more than a two day walk from Tenochtitlan. It was far enough from the city to be safe, but still within the Aztec region, close enough it could be taken back later. To the USA was a one-way trip.
- They needed a place to bury it, where no one could so much as see them digging, since this was a recently conquered region. (Says UNAM.).The big fort like house provided both security during digging and later.
- Now, the evidence gets serious. Around 1910, my wife's grandpa said they dug into the floor of one room in the house and found a skeleton with a gold neck piece which was donated to the local church for a new bell. I listened to tales of her grandpa's personality and character for many years. His word was considered untouchable, but while I know that, you cannot know that. Independent source: a picture post card postmarked 1908 which shows the church bell tower damaged and being repaired, probably from a recent earthquake. The skeleton was buried in the local cemetery, which means no one has any idea where, most likely. Under the skeleton was a “stone floor” which reverse engineering says would be a roof for the storage box made for the treasure. They did not just dump the goodies in a hole and cover it up. There were steps going down into the ground. Whatever is buried there, the gold piece proves it was probably there 495 years earlier.
- Other theories include the possibility the skeleton was actually an Aztec leader, but they would not have put a floor under him without a cap over him. Another possibility is that the treasure was split up and only part of it here, and more in other of the many Moctezuma properties in Mexico. If we hear similar local traditions of treasure buried in the area, that would drastically reduce the likelihood that is is here.
- There is no way to get that treasure. First, it is on private property and as I have written, it is not easy to dig it out, due to the type of soil involved. (Pre-travertine marble.) And, how would you take 15 tons away with the true owner, the Federal government, not noticing the tremendous operation. involved? Just as attempted bank robbery is a prison offense, attempting to steal an ancient archaeological treasure is also a prison offense. 75 people live within one city block, and only one of them is hard of hearing. Some time ago, a young lad from somewhere in Europe announced that he would, too, come here and get the treasure and no one could stop him. It was suggested that he was a rich Middle-easterner who has never been told no on anything he wanted.
- In case it is important my wife is descended from the Moctezuma family. Her great-grandma was the last person to own the land with the surname Moctezuma. There are others of that surname still living in the area.
- Another phenomenon, when I mentioned my theory to the men of the family, they all reacted the same. No laughter; no anger. Absolutely 100% poker face instantly. I am not only convinced the treasire is there, but that the men know it is there. They are realistic that it is simply not functional to dig it up. The grandpa said many times if I didn't put it down there, I don't take it up. When I mentioned the theory the uncle started locking the door to that room, which is used as a granary.. After a year, he again leaves it open, assuming I forgot the topic. I did not.
- There is a large prison in the area, so they keep a lot of police, trained and armed, at all times in case of prison riot. When they are not needed at the prison, they patrol the town. It is not unusual to see in this small town 6 cops with M-16's patrolling on foot on the main street, and that is just part of the day shift.
- The Mexican Air Force has several Northrop E-5-E air craft. From time to time, they will come from the south at supersonic speeds, dive over the town and then fly up again back to their base, probably 10 minutes from here at that speed, scaring the crap out of the women folk. They also do subsonic fly-by's and they do have rockets aboard. If there is some sort of insurrection here, the military sends large gunship helicopters out. Seeing those 50 caliber machine guns aimed down at them has stopped more than one major riot. If the cartels came in to take that treasure this place would look like the Desert Storm videos that I call Midnight over Bagdad.
- This is only a summary, trying to keep other people from assuming this is a dummy over-reacting to the drunken babble of the local drunks. If you want to know more detail, a regular here said it took him 3 days to read my detailed postings on this theory. Since I do not type fast, that makes me wonder just how many hours it took me to type it all in. So, if someone asks a question which makes it clear he has not read the postings, as a matter of policy I am going to refer them to the postings. It is a very personal theory as a member by marriage of the descendants of the Moctezuma's. If you like it fine, if you don't like it that is fine, too. Since it is a theory, I do admit there is a possibility it is wrong.
- When I first heard the local tradition that the treasure was here, I did not believe a word of it. For a long time, even as I did not believe, I kept reading and studying and thinking. Only after I started posting on this board did it come over me that it actually may be here. At the end of the reports, I felt I had eliminated all inconsistencies in the theory. In my mind it is here. And, I will never know.