Case file · Folklore / legend
Plata yvyguy, buried silver of the war
In Paraguay, plata yvyguy ('silver under the earth') is treasure said to have been buried by families and soldiers during the War of the Triple Alliance (1864–1870); ghostly lights and spirits are said to guard it.
1870 CE · -22.65, -56.00 · status: legend
The account
The legend says that those who buried treasure were killed to keep the secret, and that their póras (ghosts) show the place with a light or in dreams. Treasure hunting is still common in Paraguay. The pin marks Cerro Corá, where the war ended with the death of Francisco Solano López on 1 March 1870.
The sceptical view
Most digs find nothing; the belief reflects the trauma of a war that killed a large part of Paraguay's population.