Product Description

In 1885 Berenger Sauniere was appointed priest of Rennes-le-Chateau, a tiny village in the south of France. It is said that he found a fabulous treasure, or was guardian of an amazing secret about Jesus Christ. Many authors have written about the mystery, each adding their own interpretation to an ever-deepening whirlpool of fantasy. The Priory of Sion, a mysterious organisation apparently founded in the 12th century, and boasting among its Grand Masters Leonardo da Vinci, Jean Cocteau and Claude Debussy, is said to lie behind the extraordinary tale. In his recent exciting novel, "The Da Vinci Code", Dan Brown makes much use of the Priory of Sion. But does the Priory of Sion really exist? Bill Putnam and John Edwin Wood have now published a serious study of Rennes-le-Chateau. They come to firm conclusions about mystery and reveal the real source of Sauniere's wealth and the true nature of the Priory of Sion.

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #215406 in Books
• Published on: 2005-07-21
• Original language: English
• Number of items: 1
• Binding: Paperback
• 288 pages

From the Publisher
A fascinating and highly readable historical detective story, The Treasure of Rennes-le-Château, will captivate those interested in mystery, conspiracy and archaeology.

From the Author
The claims for the story of Rennes-le-Château are so astounding that it is essential to test the strength of their foundations. This is what we have attempted to do. One of us is a professional archaeologist, the other studied physics. We have tried to look at the evidence in the same way that we would approach a problem in our own specialist fields, not with the intention of supporting or rebutting any particular theory, but asking what information is reliable and what seems suspect. We do come to some conclusions about the story, and although our findings are less sensational than some others that have been published, they are quite surprising nevertheless.

About the Author
Bill Putnam is a former principal lecturer in archaeology at Bournemouth University, and the author of many works on Roman topics. John Edwin Wood is a retired scientist and author of the book Sun, Moon and Standing Stones.

Customer Reviews

Fascinating Read
This book is a well written and fascinating read. It turns a mass of mysterious links, events, places and general confusion surrounding the topic into a clear and understandable story.

I myself have looked into the Rennes-le-Chateau mystery and know how complicated a subject it is. To cover every fringe speculation that has been made on this huge topic, you would need a 5 volume work. As it is, the book looks at the vast mystery and covers all the salient points in a clear and factual way. The authors concentrate on what matters and have obviously done extensive research into what they talk about.

I believe the authors have come as close as anyone ever will (without entering the realms of fantasy) to explaining the mystery, and due to their excellent writing, the story loses none of its charm or interest but gains more of both when you see the facts put before you and you wonder at the ingenuity of it all.

I would recommend this book without hesitation as the best book I have read on the subject.

A First for the Rennes le Chateau Mystery...
This new book concerned with the village enigma is, as the sleeve of it reads ‘A fascinating and highly readable historical detective story. The Treasure of Rennes-le-Chateau: A Mystery Solved will captivate those interested in mystery, conspiracy and archaeology’.
For the very first time since the story of temple treasure was first introduced to an intrigued British viewing public in the B.B.C’s. ‘Chronicle’ series, two academics have questioned the trails followed by others and indeed the reasons for believing in the existence of treasure, ‘Sion tresor’, in the Rennes-le-Chateau area.
The opening statement of Chapter I reads ‘This book is about a hoard of treasure – or maybe it is not.’ If the statement sounds uncertain the nature of the work is not. One investigation follows another until eventually, and in line with the outcome of the inquiries made, one could be forced to conclude that uncovered are all the hallmarks of a hoax of monumental proportions. It is certainly not a book to be missed by those twenty thousand people who, each year, find themselves either driving or being driven up that long winding road that leads to the village and the ancient church in which, it has been claimed, mysteriously penned manuscripts had been discovered containing hidden messages.

The ingredients of a first class mystery thriller could involve, it is thought, mysteriously penned manuscripts found in an ancient church in which reference is made to a treasure, drawings of strange gravestone inscriptions that a former priest at the church had allegedly obliterated, copies of paintings the originals of which hang in the Louvre, and the controversy that surrounds the name of the priest, Berenger Sauniere whose lifestyle was abruptly changed from one of poverty and obscurity to one commanding immense wealth and controversy that seemed almost coincidental with the discovery of the mysterious manuscripts. The question posed however has been should one take for granted all that has hitherto been written about the village mystery or, as the authors have done, investigated and exhausted every line of inquiry that needed to be undertaken.

A very good book that has been very carefully structured and is a must for all Rennes-le-Chateau enthusiasts.

A fascinating mystery
This is a fascinating account of a modern legend investigated by an archaeologist and a scientist. The central mystery concerns the secret source of large funds used by Berenger Sauniere, the priest of a poor parish in the south of France in the late nineteenth century. He at first spent the money to restore and decorate his nearly derelict parish church, and later to build a luxurious house with a large garden and other smaller buildings, such as a library and chapel. Linked with this are stories of buried treaure, strange and sinister features of the rebuilt church, lost manuscripts and old tombs, with suggested explanations involving the Knights Templar, medieval monarchs, the Holy Grail, St Mary Magdalen and symbolic features of landscape; these have been the subject of hundreds of books and some TV propgrammes. The authors sift through the material and literary evidence in search of facts. The result is an absorbing detective story, rationally expounded step by step, with conclusions fully revealed at the end. As the authors say, we all love a mystery, and the human interest of this story is very great, from the character of Sauniere to those who explored the secret after his death. It is clearly and entertainingly written.