The nature of the concrete seal built by the Japanese soldiers during their occupation of the Philippines in WW2 is not just a plain mixture of cement, gravel, sand and water as usually applied in road building or construction of highways. It is perhaps, the most hardened cement concrete one can ever imagine. The presence of affirmative evidence proves that the endurance and hardness of the same is comparable to iron steel. Based on continuing studies and research, there is that enormous amount of silica quartz and pyrites mixed together with undetermined amount of resin adhesive and hardener. There is also an authentic presence of fly ash and intrusion aid. The process of mixture is dry pouring method. The moisture of the soil served as a slowing catalyst.
The concrete slab is the mortar seal of the treasure cache. Its thickness varies from 0.5-5 meters depending on the volume of the treasures buried. The bigger the volume, the thicker the seal is. On the so-called major sites, the thickness would reach a phenomenal height of 8 meters from the ground surface of 20-30 meters deep. Down below, series of rectangular chambers are built in such a manner that is free from collapsing. This is supposedly the spot where the cache are seen crated, stacked in cylinders and lined up in every chamber.
So far, the most updated faster way of breaking the seal open is thru the use of a burning rod. However, this process renders ineffective if the pit is watery. The presence of water cannot be ruled out taking into account a 20-30 meters depth below the ground surface. During the wet season where the sites are filled with water, diggers switch to manual operation using chisels and sledge hammers rendering a slow pace of accomplishment. However, there are those who successfully retrieved and very lucky enough after several years of painstakingly, unimaginable hard job as evidenced by these photos:
To those who had the guts and unending perseverance. CONGRATULATIONS! for a job well done. You really earned it!
Pic 1 hardened cement fortification of the treasure seal. Pic. 2 the pinpointed treasure site.
Click pictures to zoom in.
By: Robert Cordova © 2001-2006