The Lost Treasure of King Juba: The Evidence of Africans in America before Columbus [Paperback]

Frank Joseph (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: March 25, 2003

The story of a mysterious southern Illinois treasure cave and its proof of the presence of Africans in North America long before Columbus.

• Includes over 100 photographs of the artifacts discovered.

• Re-creates the historic voyage of King Juba and his Mauretanian sailors across the Atlantic to rebuild their society in the New World.

• Explains the mystery of the Washitaws, a tribal group of African origin, first encountered by the Lewis and Clark Expedition.

In 1982 Russell E. Burrows, a treasure hunter in southern Illinois, stumbled on a cache of ancient weapons, jewels, and gold sarcophagi in a remote cave. There also were stone tablets inscribed with illustrations of Roman-like soldiers, Jews, early Christians, and West African sailors. These relics fueled a bitter controversy in the archaeological community regarding their authenticity, leading Burrows to destroy the entrance to the cave.

Researching more than 7,000 artifacts removed from the cave before it was sealed, Frank Joseph explains how these objects came to be buried in the middle of the United States. It started with Cleopatra, whose daughter was made queen of the semi-independent realm of Mauretania, present-day Morocco, which she ruled with her husband, King Juba II. Following the execution of their son, Ptolemy, by Emperor Caligula, the Mauretanians rebelled against their Roman overlords and made their way into what is now Ghana. There they constructed a fleet of ships for a transatlantic voyage to a land where they hoped to rebuild their kingdom safe from Roman rule. They took with them a great prize unsuccessfully sought by two Roman emperors: Cleopatra's golden treasure and King Juba's encyclopedic library of ancient wisdom.

Fully illustrated with many previously unpublished photographs of artifacts retrieved from the southern Illinois site, The Lost Treasure of King Juba is a compelling story that could force us to rethink the early history of our nation and the possibility that Africans arrived on our continent nearly fifteen centuries before Columbus.

Editorial Reviews

Review

"Frank Joseph provides an inheritently interesting and iconoclastic discourse on the evidence of Africans in America before Columbus."
(The Bookwatch, October 2003, Vol.25 No.10 )

"Joseph's new book puts it all together. He gives an historical background of the people who are the cave's history."
(Marquette Monthly, October 2003 )

“Here is both a fascinating chronicle of one of history’s greatest treasure stories and a paradigm-shattering tale of a pre-columbian expedition to the New World. No one interested in the real story of America’s prehistory can afford to ignore this book.
(Steven Sora, author of Secret Societies of America’s Elite
)

"If you enjoy a good non-fiction mystery, a kind of arm chair treasure hunt, and are a bit of a closet archaeologist or a medievalist to boot, this is a book for you. Fascinating reading."
(Convergence, Vol.13 Issue1 )

From the Back Cover

In 1982 Russell E. Burrows, a treasure hunter in southern Illinois, stumbled on a hidden cave and its cache of ancient gold sarcophagi and statues, gold medallions, and weapons. There were also hundreds of black “portrait stones,” inscribed with various symbols and letters and the profiles of Roman soldiers, ancient Jews, early Christians, and West Africans.
Researching more than 7,000 artifacts removed from the cave before it was sealed—and gathering the opinions of a number of experts in archeology, the history and languages of ancient cultures, and geology--Frank Joseph pieces together how these objects came to be buried in the middle of the United States. Almost 2,000 years ago Cleopatra Selene, daughter of Cleopatra, ruled the semi-independent Roman province of Mauretania, in present-day Morocco, with her husband, King Juba II. Following the execution of their son, Ptolemy, by Emperor Caligula, the Mauretanians rebelled against their Roman overlords. The Roman legions attacked, pushing them down the west coast of Africa in retreat. To escape, the Mauretanians constructed a fleet of ships with the help of West Africans for a transatlantic voyage to a land where they hoped to safely rebuild their kingdom. Taking with them two great prizes--Cleopatra’s golden treasure and King Juba’s encyclopedic library of ancient wisdom--and using the maps and navigational knowledge of their ancestors, they sailed past the Canary Islands, following the same route that Columbus was later to take on his famous voyage of discovery. Illustrated with over a hundred photographs of artifacts retrieved from the southern Illinois site, The Lost Treasure of King Juba is a compelling story that could force us to rethink the early history of our nation and the possibility that Africans landed on our continent nearly fifteen centuries before Columbus.
Frank Joseph is the editor-in-chief of Ancient American magazine and the author of The Destruction of Atlantis and Synchronicity and You. He lives in Colfax, Wisconsin.

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Paperback: 224 pages
• Publisher: Bear & Company; aFirst Edition First Printing edition (March 25, 2003)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1591430062
• ISBN-13: 978-1591430063
• Product Dimensions: 8.3 x 6 x 0.7 inches
• Shipping Weight: 13.6 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.8 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (4 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #126,660 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

Frank Joseph has been the editor-in-chief of "Ancient American" magazine since its debut in 1993. He is the author of twenty books about prehistory re-published in as many foreign languages, including "The Atlantis Encyclopedia", "Opening the Ark of the Covenant", and "Unearthing Ancient America". Joseph is a frequent guest speaker at various metaphysical and archaeological societies in the U.S. and abroad.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

14 of 16 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Africans in the midwest before columbus?, August 14, 2003

By 

K. Caroli (hollywood, florida United States) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: The Lost Treasure of King Juba: The Evidence of Africans in America before Columbus (Paperback)

Frank Joseph's latest book offers a good overview of the controversy surrounding the Burroughs Cave,well known in diffusionist circles but less so elsewhere.While he can't prove the authenticity of the artifacts he does clearly lay out how the controversy developed and the reasons he believes the artifacts are 'real'.The automatic anti-diffusionist bias of conventional academia definitely does prevent a fair ascesment of the case, though many diffusionists remain skeptical as well. Where the book shines is in the lucid description of ancient Mauritania's history and how that could fit in with the existance of the cave in Illinois and it's purported treasure.The reader learns about the complex mixture of cultures in ancient north Africa and it's maritime tradition. The story of the province's rise to wealth and cosmopolitan splendour is excellently told, as is it's trajic destruction at the hands of Rome.l feel these chapters are worthwhile even for those unfamiliar with the diffusionist- isolationist debate, revealing a dramatic yet little known chapter in ancient history.lt forms a sort of sequel to the famous tale of Ceaser,Anthony and Cleopatra.Even many students of history may not have been aware or the survival and ultimate fate of the Ptolemaic dynasty after Cleopatra's death.lt has all the makings of an engrossing historical novel.Hence l recommend the book to both history buffs and those fascinated by the possibility of trans-oceanic diffusion in antiquity.

11 of 15 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Evidence of Mauretanians in the Midwest, September 21, 2003

By 

B.P. "tilley_traveler" (Wisconsin, United States) - See all my reviews

This review is from: The Lost Treasure of King Juba: The Evidence of Africans in America before Columbus (Paperback)

Accidentally found by an amateur named Russell Burrows, the extraordinary collection of artifacts taken from a cave in southern Illinois has been believed to be a fake and a hoax. Viewed with much opposition and skepticism by many lofty archeological experts. A large subterranean crypt which is accounted to contain gold statues, sarcophagi, coins and medallions, uncut diamonds and inscribed scrolls among many other valuable antiquities. But the most intriguing artifacts to come out of Burrows Cave are the hundreds of portrait stones. All depicting men and women in more than just Roman, Egyptian, Phoenician, Numidian and Hebrew appearances as well as their written languages. This mixture of ancient society found in one unusual setting seems all too good to be true, as nothing else like it has ever been found in the New World. But the author presents a large amount of curious evidence in how authenticity is considered possible, and explains the important links to pre-Columbian history. He tells of many other significant findings made in Illinois, North America, South America and the Old World that provide factual support for verification. Bringing it all together effectively with great persuasive detail.

The author begins with a thorough history of King Juba II and how he and his wife, Cleopatra Selene became rulers of ancient Mauretania in North Africa. Then continues to explain the war waged by Rome against this semi-independent nation and it's effects, or the Mauertanian exodus it caused. All of these events the author illustrates in a slightly dramatized manner. With the majority of chapters that follow, he focuses on the Illinois site; it's relics and the comments of various experts, while giving his own viewpoints and understandings. The information is arranged well with perfect quotes at the start of each chapter, plenty of black and white photos and a summarizing timeline. Because there is still much that remains untold and undiscovered on the subject, could be why the book wasn't closed with a strong conclusion. And I also felt that a few more maps, besides the one of Illinois would have been beneficial to the book. But otherwise I was pleased with it overall.

Whether the existence of a "treasure house of gold" remains entirely true or not, it still is a very interesting and educational read. Even the actions and nature of Mr. Burrows, and the trouble he caused interested investigators, makes it read almost something like a fiction novel. And as controversial as theories can be, it still is a story that shouldn't be ignored or remain lost in time. For starters, Frank Joseph's book will entice your curiosity.

6 of 8 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Suspenseful Report on the as of Then 21-Year-Old Burrows Cave Controversy's Development, May 15, 2007

By 

Bonam Pak (Berlin) - See all my reviews

This review is from: The Lost Treasure of King Juba: The Evidence of Africans in America before Columbus (Paperback)

In 1982 a hobby archaeologist discovered the strangest of treasures in an Illinois cave: Many thousands of artifacts and coins, appearing to be all of the below: Phoenician, Mauretanien, Numidian, Egyptian, Roman, Celtic, Jewish, Christian and some others (of various phenotypes, by the way, this isn't exclusively about black skinned Africans). It isn't only about African traces in the pre-Columbian, even pre-Viking Americas, but about that incredible mix.

The structure of the 2003 book is most rewarding. Five chapters (1/4 of the book) is devoted to ancient Mediterranean history, featuring Egypt, Rome (including Greece), Numidia and Mauretania. Starting with Cleopatra and ending with her grandkids. The popularly "educated" via respective Hollywood movies will be left very surprised. The next chapter is devoted to reconstructed history at the time, after Caligula turned the Roman empire's previous amicable relationship with ancient Mauretania (roughly today's Morocco) sour, conquered that African kingdom, leading to an exodus of its multicultural population to the only save haven: The Americas, largely unknown to Rome, but not to the Africans. Seven chapters are devoted to the controversy of most important archaeological find of the century (at least) versus most elaborate hoax. Usually I don't care that much for this sort of focus, but in this case I can promise a most suspensefull and eye-opening reading experience of this major section of the book. Two chapters are devoted to general evidence of Africans in the pre-Columbian Americas (largely not copying Ivan Van Sertima's 1976 classic They Came Before Columbus: The African Presence in Ancient America, but listing fresh findings). Another two are devoted to the evidence of the Illinois cave itself, analyzing the many significances.

Be prepared that this print doesn't finish up everything about Burrows Cave and that you will google it after having finished this book. The reason for that is that within the 21 years after its discovery an all-encompassing scientific analasys of the cave could not take place. For the most absurd, yet fascinating, mostly saddening, frustrating and angering reasons. Yet many objects have been able to get scientifically analyzed, in a CSI fashion. And yes, the way, all of this has been handled could be described as a crime. By virtually everyone involved. That provides for an unexpected reading. Not only focusing on the find itself, but the high-handedness of the discoverer who doesn't want to diclose too much, the greed of some of the involved, asocial private collectors, ignorance and arrogance of prejudiced experts, inadequate laws, the utter passivity of the government throughout the entire affair and many more failures of I-and-I (us) humans who are obviously not able to deal with such a find, no matter from which perspective. As a result, this treasure has survived almost two millennia, getting protected by Native Americans during that time, only to get largely lost, destroyed and otherwise inaccessible within a few years of exposure to current Western culture. I hardly dared to turn the pages for the contrast of awestruck wonder for the 1st century A.D. forgotten Mauretanian exodus with its evidence left behind and the grim despair of having to learn about our contemporaries: "What have they done now to the historic evidence?!".

If you are interested in the subject of early "discoveries" of the Americas preceding Columbus from all sorts of peoples such as Africans, Polynesians, Chinese and Europeans, would like to read an update (of 2006) and are able to overstand German, look for "Bevor Kolumbus kam. Die frühen Entdecker Amerikas" by Rene Oth (literally translating as: "Before Columbus Came: The Early Discoverers of America")