OUT OF THE DEPTHS

Archaeologists were caught up in a race against time as they tried to unearth sunken treasure ditched in the Minjiang River by a 17th-century rebel leader, Lin Qi reports.

The search for hidden treasure has been one of the most intriguing, dramatic stories in human history. Rumors of the locations of buried fortunes have inspired countless film and TV dramas over the years, and have even acted as a reference point for archaeologists.

In the historical town of Jiangkou, Sichuan province, a rumor has circulated for centuries among the locals about how a 17th-century rebel leader sank caskets of treasure into the Minjiang River, which runs across the town, at a critical point during one battle.