What is the history of the El Dorado treasure from ‘Outer Banks’ season 3?

Season three of Outer Banks looks to be bigger than ever before as the treasure-hunting teens search for the mythical city of El Dorado.

The teenagers known as the Pogues (the poor kids) have become amateur treasure hunters while searching for John B’s (Chase Stokes) father, whose disappearance was somehow tied to the treasure inside the Royal Merchant. While some people search for the gold, others are looking for lost family relics, which makes for a lot of conflict throughout the series.

Season two concluded with the revelation that Big John (Charles Halford) is alive and well in Barbados. After Carla Limbrey (Elizabeth Mitchell) discovers him, he agrees to help her find the Cross of Santa Domingo’s holy shroud if she will help find his son. Meanwhile, after jumping over the Coastal Venture, the teens find themselves on a deserted island they call Poguelandia. They have fought hard and been on plenty of adventures, but nothing is going to prepare them for their next hunt, which is to find the City of Gold.

The season three trailer shows John B reuniting with his father at long last and the Pogues go in search of El Dorado, the City of Gold. El Dorado became a tale during the 16^th century, with Europeans believing the fabled city was located in the new world. Bits and pieces of truth mixed with greed had Spaniards searching South America, specifically the area now known as Colombia. The explorers heard stories about a native tribe that lived high in the Andes Mountains. When a new chief came to power, he would be covered in gold dust, then jump into Lake Guatavita while the tribe tossed gold and jewels into the lake to appease the gods. The story about a man of gold spread across tribes in the region, with many retelling the story until it became the tale of the City of Gold. When invaders attempted to drain the lake and find the treasure, they only found a few gold pieces.

The crew from Kildare Island in the Outer Banks of North Carolina will soon find themselves on a journey through the deep jungles of South America in search of the lost city of El Dorado. Maybe they’ll find it, but most likely they’re searching for a needle in a haystack. One thing’s for sure, they are guaranteed to face danger while going on the adventure of a lifetime in season three.

Season three will premiere on Netflix on Feb. 23, 2023.