An old chestnut of a conspiracy theory from the late 1950s relating to the treasure of Bérenger Saunière is being recycled in 2022-2023.

The Menorah was discovered by the Knights Templar and among its travels to Oak Island it possibly stayed in Carcassonne/Rennes-le-Château. Take no notice of the fact that the Menorah is found on the Arch of Titus in Rome following the capture of Jerusalem by Titus in 70 CE (erected by the Emperor Domitian in Rome in 81 CE). Take no notice of the fact that the Temple of Jerusalem has got Roman Masonry embedded within it and that the Romans would have discovered anything long before the Knights Templar.

Between 1958-1962 the French paper Noir Et Blanc ran a series of articles about the Visigothic treasure potentially discovered by Abbé Saunière that could have been the source of his wealth.

Enter Pierre Plantard and Philippe de Chêrisey. During the 1980s Pierre Plantard claimed he discovered the Menorah. However, the great charlatans and mythomaniacs failed to show any proof.

Louis Vazart, before his divorce from Pierre Plantard, mentioned the possible excavations of Rocco Negro for the Menorah (Etudes Mérovingiennes, Number 21, page 8, June 1987).

Even the Secret Services allegedly took an interest.

A report on this Conspiracy Theory about the Treasure of Jerusalem dating from 28 February 1987, Le Journal de Saone-et-Loire.

The current story about the discovery of the Menorah is an old chestnut of a recycled conspiracy theory and the people concerned are using a certain [highly boring] television series to exploit their position. Oh yes, poor Nicolas Poussin is being [mis]used all over again.