It looked like a normal log, one of the many you usually find in any forest, the kind that are used to fill fireplaces and keep the house warm. But it was not an old or worthless log, and it was a local craftsman specialized in wood carving who realized that this old log was something more. Inside there was something hard, something metallic, something too strange to be just a coincidence.
This is the story of Marc Dubois, the man who discovered a tube inside a tree that could be worth about 75,000 dollars.
A 75K log
It was an old oak that had been knocked down by a storm, and this craftsman, with his tools, noticed a blow that did not sound dull like wood usually does, it sounded metallic. What was that? Dubois discovered that inside there was a cylindrical copper tube, hermetically sealed and engraved. What was that?
Perfectly fitted inside the trunk, there was no rust, it was not deformed, it seemed as if someone had placed it there very carefully and then forgotten to come back for it. Not even Nicolas Cage would have found something like this.
What is that?
Well, a tube. The first analyses suggest that could date back to the 17th century, and that coincides with a very turbulent time in the region where found. Marked by trade, conflicts, unstable borders, and now, a lot of secrets! This idea is reinforced because the discovery took place in Saint-Audemer, a place with a lot of history…
What is that object?
We still don’t know what is inside, the mystery remains intact. Some specialists believe it could be a kind of time capsule and that inside this peculiar object there are documents, maps, agreements, or maybe even messages that someone needed to hide.
“We still do not know anything about what is inside, and thinking about the possibilities is fascinating,” said historian Alain Dupont.
Why hide something inside a tree?
What seems very strange to us today would have made perfect sense at the time. Trees acted as natural safes, and all the things that should not be lost were hidden there, the things that no one should touch. And the best part is that it did not attract attention at all. Who would look inside an oak? So yes, it was a way to make a well kept secret last over time intact.
In fact, the tree grew around the tube, which means it was placed there while the oak was still alive. Everything was planned.
How much is this discovery really worth?
Right now, specialist are talking about around 75,000 euros, but this is only a provisional figure, the real value is not in the metal, but in what might actually be inside, and that is what interests researchers the most!
What do you think is inside this tube? Maybe original documents? Maybe maps? Or unpublished historical texts?
A mystery that remains closed
The intrigue fascinates many experts, but they have to proceed slowly because any mistake could damage the possible contents inside, they have to preserve it in the best way possible!
A quiet town
Since the news came to light, the area has changed, there are curious neighbors, visitors, journalists… What used to be a quiet place now attracts attention from half the world. Authorities are already talking about exhibitions, about highlighting the discovery, even about creating a small museum space.
A well kept secret
Someone, centuries ago, hid something carefully, with intention or with fear, and today, by chance, it comes to light. What do you think that tube might hold?