One of the most incredible treasure hauls of all time? Five key items

Lost Relics of the Knights Templar follows treasure hunters Hamilton White and Carl Cookson as they seek to establish the provenance of five items from a priceless hoard of Knights Templar treasure - the most secretive organisations in history - before they reveal the hoard to the world.

Until today, no major items belonging to the Knights Templar – the medieval Special Forces of Christendom, made famous by The Crusades – have ever been recovered. However, Hamilton and Carl believe they have at last discovered what everyone else has been looking for – a treasure trove of artefacts which reveal who the Templars were, how they worshipped, and why they were targeted, imprisoned and wiped out by Papal decree in 1307.

With possible key Templar relics in their possession – a black obsidian chalice, a Templar sword and an iron reliquary box – the duo travel all over Europe and the Middle East to trace the origins of their treasure. Find out more about these amazing and potentially priceless items below.

This spectacular chalice is made from one of the world’s rarest materials – obsidian, known as volcanic glass.

It stands at 21cm high, has a diameter of 14.5cm at the lip and measures 16.5cm across the most bulbous part of the bowl. Possibly of Byzantine manufacture, it could have been made in the 12th Century.

This helmet is suspected to have been made in the 13th Century and is in the style of ‘Great Helms’ favoured by medieval knights. Heinrich Himmler may have once owned this helmet, and it is almost identical to one on display at the Altes Zeughaus museum in Berlin, named ‘The Dargen Helmet’.

This blade is 95.5cm long with several crosses visible and is a simple but elegant piece.

This ornate item could have been made in the early 13th Century and is 29cm tall. Several characters are depicted on the box, possibly St George and Jesus Christ, but in Monk Robes.