Hindu Law and Custom (Recht und Sitte) c8.122

c8.122

The same motives which urge a man to deposit his valuables with a reliable person cause him also to bury his treasure in the earth. If such a treasure (*nidhi*) is found anywhere it becomes the property of the king because he is the lord of the earth with all that is found in it; or the finder may keep 1/6 (Gaut. 10, 43, 45; Vas. 3, 13; M. 8, 39; Nār. 7, 6). A Brahman, particularly a learned and dutiful Brahman, may keep the whole of a treasure trove found by him (Gaut. 10,44 etc.). This seems to have been the original theory; usually however the king is less thought of¹. If a member of any caste other than that of the Brahman finds a treasure, he must inform the king and after delivering the sixth part—the usual share of the king also in taxation—he may keep the rest for himself; whoever fails to send information must deliver the whole treasure trove and may be punished also otherwise; if the king himself finds the treasure, he may retain half of it for himself; the other half he must give away to Brahmans (M. 8,35-39; Y. 2,34 f.; Vi. 3,56 ff.).