The Curse of Oak Island – Season 13 Episode 9: So Close, Yet Sonar | Full HD 1080

What is that?
>> That’s exactly like the sticks we found near the vault.
>> I truly believe there’s still another vault there.
>> Woah, woah, woah. There it is. The void.
>> Is that natural or is that an open cavern?
>> Only a sonar can tell you that. Really?
>> All right. Well, that’s what we’ll do.
Hopefully, we’ll find the one thing.
Cross your fingers.
>> We’re in the cavity.
>> Yeah, you’re in.
>> We’d love nothing better than to see a man-made cavern or vault.
>> We’ve got an opening.
>> This is not natural >> on Oak Island. Here we go. BM 13.5.
This is an area that we really haven’t looked at very much and certainly haven’t been to the bottom of the solution channel in very much.
>> Rick and Marty Lagginina and their team are shifting their strategy to look for treasure more than 200 ft deep in the money pit area.
>> We’re in the heart of the peacock.
>> Yep.
>> The peacock is a real phenomenon. It’s a loose slushy area leading down into the solution channel.
>> They are drilling a bore hole known as BN3.5.
located 45 ft northeast from recent drilling locations and in an area dubbed by Marty Lagginina as the peacock.
So right at 55 is like the bottom dropped right out of her.
>> It was here where 3 years ago the team drilled through heavily slushy material between 55 and 150 ft deep before entering the solution channel at a depth of nearly 170 ft underground.
Now, in order to explore another area of the solution channel where new water tests have revealed more evidence of precious metals, the team is once again drilling down through the peacock.
>> The peacock is almost like the solutionchannel sitting on top of the solution channel. It’s a very low dense area of what I’m going to call Terry a higher mud river.
>> We never really drilled to the bottom as much as we should have. I believe >> the peacock is an area of significantly unconsolidated soils. Terry Mat, a resident geologist, can’t explain how that can exist.
There may be a tunnel or a shaft in close proximity which has caused the soils to destabilize.
But the historical record does not indicate anyone being in this area, i.e.
searchers. So what happened here? What is the story? And where’s the treasure?
>> I think we’re in a really good area here. I really do.
>> There’s probably multiple number of holes that could put in here.
>> I agree with that 100%. And you know, until we actually hold the treasure in our hand, I’m not willing to rule out any area as possible.
>> I totally agree.
>> While the core drilling operation continues in the money pit area.
>> Wow.
Made some good progress.
>> Yep.
>> Katya Drayton. That’s Derek Couch. Join Billy Gard in the southwest corner of the swamp.
>> All right, we’ll open this up a little bit to give us room that maybe you can get down and detect around a little bit.
>> We’ll start over here.
>> Yep. I’ll see where you dump and then I’ll move there.
>> The team is searching for artifacts that might help identify who built a stone formation uncovered in this area 3 weeks ago, as well as a possibly related stone road that was unearthed several yards to the north.
both of which were lined by wooden survey stakes.
>> What is that?
>> Oh, wow.
>> We just found another steak.
>> Oh, good.
>> That’s quite something.
>> In place as well.
>> Oh my gosh.
>> How many sides?
four cuts.
It looks like one side is unfinished, but this reminds me of the five-sided steak we found earlier.
This has been in here for a while. And what’s most impressive with that one is that this steak was still standing at a very deep point in the swamp. So, it’s exactly where somebody put it. There’s 3 ft of stuff on top of that, right?
>> Yeah.
>> It’s cut with purpose.
>> Yeah. And it’s axe cut.
>> Mhm.
You can see there now is a round pit down there, which is pretty hard to do with a square excavator bucket. So, >> as you were digging, it just kept falling in there. So, it it does give you the inclination there’s something down there, >> right? I just pushed my bucket and the stuff fell in. But now, you can really see the shape of what it was when it was dug.
>> So, somebody dug a pit there and it wasn’t me.
>> Yeah.
>> Maybe that stake marked why they dug there. You know who and why, right?
>> Yeah. Could Billy be correct that someone previously dug in this area and then marked it with a wooden stake?
[music] If so, could this steak be an important sign of what else the team may uncover here?
>> Rick told us to keep an eye out for these and we’ll definitely have to get Steve out here to pin this.
>> I think with the dating of the wood and the depth that we had it when Steve pins it that Dr. Spooner might be able to put a date on, but that steak has to go back a long time. Hopefully, there’s more there. But uh that is a great start.
>> Maybe we could find an answer instead of a question.
>> Yeah. So nice to find some answers.
We’ll keep going.
>> All right.
>> As the dig in the swamp continues, >> Gary had done a complete scan of the block five spoil piles and lo and behold, this item was found. Rick and other members of the team joined Lear Nevin and Emma Culligan in the lab for a report on a folded copper coin or token found one week ago in spoils that were removed from the round feature on lot five.
>> You were quite excited about that.
>> Yeah. When it came out I’m thinking oh some kind of like folded coin I’m hoping these are unusual. I have found these type of finds in England that will detect him and they’re normally like talisman or >> good luck tokens that put out there sometimes to ward off even bad luck but it was good luck for us because we found it.
>> Yeah.
>> Does it cross cultural lines or religious lines? Meaning one faith might be more accepting of it maybe more >> I mean Catholicism for sure. I would think it’s interesting because this tradition, I think the first recorded one in England is like 1290. You fold a coin and pray to a saint for a miracle.
And that’s how this all started.
>> Yeah.
>> The team has found a number of potentially religious artifacts in the round feature, such as the [music] 14th century lead barter token that may be linked to the Knights Templar. They have also found Venetian trade beats [music] and two ornate buttons that could be connected to the Knights of Malta, an order with known ties to the Templars, who built a stronghold in Nova Scotia back in 1632.
>> We need to know from you what you think it is and what it represents and how old it might be.
>> Okay.
So for the CT scan, I guess the main question that first needs answering is whether or not there’s any reliefs or signs that it is a coin.
>> And I’m immediately I’m going to say there’s nothing that I can really see so far.
>> Yeah. I mean, we can’t definitively say it’s a coin. But if we look at why coins are traditionally folded, it needs to have some value to give literal like weight to the talisman.
So, we can assume it was valuable to somebody at some point. And then the triple folding is quite unusual.
>> Yeah, >> we thought it would be fairly straightforward.
>> Yeah, we did.
>> Yeah. What does the data tell you the age of this item is?
>> So, based on the composition, it is a copper alloy with the zinc content. Zinc being an alloying element, it’s definitively postmed in pre mid 1800s.
There’s the arsenic and lead content as an alloying element as well which is from at least around the time of like industrial revolution of mid700s potentially earlier and then the arsenic could push it to late 1600s.
>> Arsenic could push it to the 1600s late 1600s. The fact that someone took all that time to fold it over three times.
>> I mean, it is significant. It is a meaningful artifact.
In the lab, Emma and Leair have just revealed that the folded copper artifact found in the lot 5 spoils may hold religious symbolism and date back to more than a century before the discovery of the money pit.
And sometimes if it was diseased, they’ put a bent over coin or token uh to ward off the disease.
>> Yeah.
>> Somebody went to some pains to do it then.
>> Yeah. To me, it looks quite well done.
>> Yeah.
>> We’re on an island, but it’s a big province. Have you ever found anything like this on digs or know of any othereological digs where have found these type of offerings? Not that I can remember specifically in Nova Scotia from archaeological context.
>> Of course, we’re on an island. Sailors came to the island. They were all superstitious, especially in 17 or 1600s.
>> True.
>> Oh, there a lot of possibilities.
Obviously, the first one is just preparing for your voyage.
>> Yeah. Yeah.
>> Coming here from Europe was not an easy thing, right?
>> Exactly.
>> Yeah.
>> My suspicion is that’s intentional. It’s folded perfectly.
>> Yeah. And maybe maybe three folds means something different than twofolds.
>> Yeah, our research hasn’t gone that far yet.
>> Given the enormity of finds that date to the 1600s, there were buttons. Then you have the trade beats, right? And the dates you’re implying are highly suggestive of the connection to the Knights of Malta.
Their attempt to either create a colony here or to do something else.
Given the potential symbolism of this artifact, could the team be correct that it might be related to the buttons and ornate trade baits that have been potentially linked to the order of the Knights of Malta?
The folded coin is certainly the first of its kind on the island, but it’s just a puzzle piece. How do you connect all of the artifacts that Lot 5 featured?
It’s starting to build a body of evidence, but I think in order to fully understand what happened on lot five, there’s a lot more work to be done, but at some point with enough puzzle pieces, then you can tell the complete story.
>> Just love to know what’s on the inside.
>> And I’d like to see the puzzle completed.
>> It’s one of those little innocuous looking things that has a great story behind it.
>> It’s good luck that we found it. I think there’s a lot of information that we can learn because of its uniqueness.
>> Yeah. Yeah. And don’t forget Sandy Campbell. That’s a good thought.
>> Yeah.
>> With Sandy, he’s not just a numismmetist. He’s a historian.
>> Yeah.
>> And he might know the history of these coins.
>> Exactly.
>> So, I look forward to what we uncover >> or what we unfold. [laughter] >> Pun intended.
All right. All right. See you. Thank you. Bye. Byebye.
Keep your eyes peeled here.
>> Meanwhile, in the southwest corner of the swamp, Katya, Derek, and Billy continue to search for more artifacts near the stone formation.
>> Yeah, Ka, there’s a funny piece in that last pocket.
>> Oh yeah. Oh my gosh.
>> That’s a something there. Yeah.
>> Piece of planking.
>> That’s a strange.
The top looks maybe cut, but it’s it’s wide and it comes to a point like a wedge.
>> No, it does.
>> Yeah, it’s tapered. So, you know, somebody’s spend some time it to make it for a very special purpose. I would say >> it’s got a great groove right there. A bunch of little dents in it.
>> I’m thinking it might be an or paddle just because of the shape.
>> Yeah, they’re so close to the ship’s rail and it and maybe we get a test that it’s some part of the same ship. If we find more pieces of the same one, that would be pretty telling to what actually went on in here.
>> Yeah. [music] >> A possible piece of an ore. Could Billy be correct that it may be related to the piece of a ship’s railing found just a few yards to the east back in 2020, which was carbonated to as early as the 7th century? If so, might all of the artifacts that the team is finding in this area be connected to the nearby stone feature? I think somebody will be able to look at that and look at the taper. Whether it is an ore or a wedge or whatever it is, doesn’t matter.
>> Connect some dots.
>> Yeah. We’ll put this to the side as >> definitely an interesting piece.
>> Yep.
>> It’s what Marty says all the time. You know, facts are separate things like the ship’s railing going back into the 600 ADs. It’s very confusing and we have data across the the board from literally from the 1200s right up through uh 1750.
in the bar with the types of constructions that have been found.
>> That looks like another steak.
>> Billy, got another steak right under you.
>> My hope is that as the work continues in the bug, the gaps in that information will be filled in.
>> That is one of those big round ones.
>> This is probably one of the biggest stakes I’ve ever seen. We have one, two, three, four, five, six, seven, eight. Eight signs. That reminds me exactly of the stakes we found near the vault.
>> Definitely something going on here.
>> The team has found dozens of wooden stakes across the swamp that have featured different numbers of cuts at their points. But when they uncovered the empty slate and brick vault in the northern region one year ago, it was after following a trail of eight-sided cut stakes that lined a cobblestone path.
Is it possible that this eight-sided stake could be connected to that fault-like feature?
And could it mean another one that may still contain valuables is hidden in this area?
>> It looked like it was about 4t down in that sand there. Yeah, >> the eight side ones are almost all that same that really big circumference. The more sides that it has based on the testing that we did on the island, the older that they tend to be.
>> Yeah.
>> Every bucket full now we’re finding something. There was a ton of activity right here. I’m sure we’ll have a bunch of stuff to take back to the lab for everybody to look at.
>> Well, that’s another good find.
>> Well, I’ll put it over there and then we’ll keep going. Oh, good eye, Derek.
>> That’s cool.
As the sun rises over Oak Island, >> you ready to rock, Charles?
>> Yeah. Here we go.
>> In the money pit area, Terry and Charles monitor the core drilling operation in Borhole BN 13.5 as it sinks deeper into the Peacock area.
Whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa.
We’ve never had this much fall out. No.
Yeah, it’s too hard to tell if it’s a void or if it’s just water gravel.
>> Yeah.
>> Okay, Charles, it looks like you lost the core.
>> Gone out the end of the core barrel.
Okay, >> here’s Adam now.
>> Hey, Adam, you lost that, right?
>> Yeah.
>> And no recovery.
>> No recovery. No.
>> Oh, man.
>> We pushed from 148 to 158. And the rods are sinking. When I run the casing, they’re they’re sinking.
>> We have pretty loose material.
Obviously, >> it’s loose. We’re right in the heart of the peacock. So, you just going to try and push to 168 to try and get something solid?
>> Yeah.
>> Excellent. Great stuff. Thanks a lot.
>> Appreciate it.
>> Interesting to see what we come up with on this one.
>> We’re excited about this because we’re in the area where we got gold and silver in the water. And you know, as we’re drilling down, the mud and the muck is very loose and and sloppy.
>> Oh, yeah.
>> Is it loose because of high activity by humans?
>> That looks promising.
>> Yeah. Is it possible that this could be an opening that was man-made? If it is, it’s something we didn’t know existed.
>> Whatever was there, we got it. Right on.
>> But it got hard at the bottom.
>> Very sloppy at the top. Okay. All right.
Let’s carve this up. Okay. This is the firm bottom of this area of the peacock right here.
>> And the bottom here is limestone rich material. It’s really only 10 ft of recovery for a whole 20 ft drilled all the way from 148 to 168.
>> Definitely. We’ve got an effective water filled void from about 148 to 158 below green.
>> Yeah.
>> A possible 10-ft [music] void above the solution channel.
>> If so, is it simply a natural feature or could it be a man-made chamber?
>> I got to go. Okay. What is a surprise when we encounter a relative void? I mean, you think human activity in that area, this is shaping up to be a really interesting hole.
>> How you doing?
>> How’s it going?
>> Uh, we’re loose from between 148 and 158. Relatively loose, washed out material like what you’d expect down inside the solution jam.
>> Okay, >> relatively high, but this is possibly a void. Now, is that natural or is that an open man named chamber? We don’t know.
Yeah. And also we’re getting elevated results for precious metals associated copper lead zinc type of things that are associated with a treasure in the peacock.
>> So yeah, for me I’ve always been a believer that there’s an offset chamber in the money pit. And if there is an offset chamber, it makes sense it would be in this area.
>> Exactly.
The Oak Island team has long suspected that whoever built the money pit may have not only buried treasure at the bottom of the shaft, but also constructed a tunnel away from the main shaft to hide a cache of treasure in an offset chamber. Is it possible that this theory could explain the potential 10- ft void that the team has just encountered 148 ft deep in the peacock?
So, what we found was an area with possibly a water- fil void. That’s a candidate for a son, don’t you think?
>> I think so.
Adam, >> quick question.
>> What’s up?
>> We had a bit of an open area, which I think of as a void.
>> Yep. Is it a void?
>> Only a sonar could tell you that.
Really? Yeah. Right.
>> All right. Well, that’s what we’ll do.
>> Yep.
>> All right. So, if this proves fruitful, I can see this being a case on location.
Yeah, >> we’re not done with the peacock.
>> Yep, absolutely.
>> As the team arranges to look deeper into borehole BN3.5, >> I want to thank you for coming down.
This when Gary found it, it was coinike.
>> In the research center, Rick and other members of the team meet with coin expert Sandy Campbell.
>> It’s very peculiar. Again, a one-off.
>> Yeah. to have him examine the folded copper artifact that was found on lot 5.
>> Never found another one of these on on the island. So, I don’t know. I’m hoping you can help us here.
>> Okay.
>> Yeah, this is extremely [music] interesting.
Uh, [music] and it is a coin.
Fold it three times.
You know when they first started folding coins was early medieval times.
>> It represents a ritual that’s thousands of years old.
>> Yeah. It was thought that when you folded a coin, you could trap, you know, the evil inside the coin and and at some point when that evil is passed, if you pass the coin on or if you buried it, there was no more risk to you from that evil.
and it relates to Christianity, the Crusades, you know, even the Knights Templar.
However, because of the size of this coin, it’s not likely medieval. This is probably 16, 1700s, >> really.
>> But I think it still has the same religious and spiritual meaning.
>> Fascinating.
This is probably 16 1700s, but I think it still has the same religious and spiritual meaning.
>> It’s an interesting piece.
>> Yeah.
>> In the research center, Sandy Campbell has confirmed that the folded artifact found near the round feature on lot 5 is indeed a coin and maybe a 17th century religious symbol connected to the Knights Templar.
>> Trapping evil. It seems like a strange ritual, right? It’s a bizarre ritual, but you know, copper was really a show of wealth and it was also a show of strength to anybody in medieval times.
>> So, the only folded coins you will see from that period, you’re not going to see folded silver or gold. They’re always going to be copper.
>> Really?
>> Yeah. Folding of coins was also a ritual to honor saints.
>> The Knights Templar, they they worship both St. George and St. Bernard.
>> Yeah. And there was a ritual with folded coins where you would fold the coin, trap the evil, toss it away as a an homage to those saints. So it’s bizarre that you have this piece on the island.
I guess that ritual continued into the 1600s.
>> Really?
>> Yeah.
>> So you feel that this is probably 1600s >> at the earliest.
So my mind always goes to lights of Malta.
>> Interesting.
>> Which is one of our suspects on the island that falls right in that time period.
>> Mhm.
>> Is it possible that this folded copper coin might offer another key clue that sacred treasures of the Knights Templar and the religious order of the Knights of Malta may be connected to the Oak Island mystery.
Sandy Campell’s statement that the trifold goes back to medieval times during the time of the Templars. It’s very curious. We have proven in fact that the Knights of Malta had interactions and even through families of great importance with the Templars and there was a connection between the two. So, there is a possible tie there.
There’s more research to be done. It’s strange because there are some I believe Lord correct me if I’m wrong but that feature that you’ve uncovered it’s basically east to west this is not it orientation >> we know from the churches we visited and the historical places when we went to Europe >> all templar associated buildings and constructions were east west orientation >> it it’s interesting different and adds to the mystery >> there’s no way to unfold that coin physically unfold it.
>> My initial response is you you folded it to to capture evil. Yeah. So, if you back it up Yeah. You you you’re on your own there, right? [laughter] I don’t know what’s in there.
You >> know, it’s unfortunate that we can’t learn more about it. You know, the hope is as the work continues on five cuz you’re not done. Um we find others and and hopefully they’ll be able to tell us something a little bit more than what’s currently in front of us.
>> Exactly. So, we thank you very much for coming down. No, >> I appreciate it.
>> After the meeting in the research center, >> I’m really expecting to find some good things in here. Then, this really should be a potential for a hightraic area.
>> While members of the team search for more clues in the round feature on lot 5.
>> We’ll see what today brings.
>> Yeah, let’s see.
>> Rick and Kata arrive on lot 8 located on the western side of the island.
>> Is that better? High five before we start. two weeks ago.
>> Perfect.
>> All right, Gary. Here’s our first location. Okay.
>> While the team searched for clues on a straight line that led away from a potential [music] 12th century marker stone on lot 5, Gary and Peter found part of a possible barrel on lot 8. Now Rick wants to see if that find might be related to something more valuable buried nearby.
>> Oh, that’s a hit.
right there.
It’s looking to be hard.
Let’s see.
>> There you go.
>> Oh.
like that.
What is this?
>> I don’t know. Looks like two [music] holes in it right there.
>> Yeah. [crying] >> Not heavy enough to be a tool, though, is it?
>> I think this might be a knife handle, cuz there’s another hole down here.
>> Oh, really?
>> Yeah. You’d possibly have like another side to this, >> and then you’d have the blade starting up there.
You can really see how both of the holes are square on each side.
>> Your father has always said that square holes imply over.
>> Yeah.
>> Right. Well, I know one thing. I’d like to see that on a CT scan. Right.
>> Mhm. I would definitely agree with you.
Well, we’ll bag this. We’ll tag it.
>> Right.
>> There are all kinds of questions about lot 8 in this particular location. There is no data or no record that people were in this area doing something following the discovery of the money pit.
>> All right, >> you know, it’s a good start. So, anything you find uh almost literally anything is an important clue in terms of who might have been there and when.
>> Doesn’t look good.
>> Yeah.
>> Yeah. Oh yeah, right here.
>> Two-way repeal, >> right?
>> Yep.
That was a beautiful bug.
>> Oh, yeah.
>> Even I know that’s a good one.
[music] >> That is an interesting piece.
What is that?
>> I’ve never found one of these before.
This is a lead back.
>> This is great.
>> On blood of Oak Island, Rick and Katya have made [music] what could be an important discovery.
>> This could possibly be a tail coming out of it.
>> Yeah. Yeah.
>> That would have been probably from the bag or whatever it was being attached to.
>> Yeah. Yeah. Your dad’s phone. Other banks. There’s one on 32.
>> Mhm.
>> One on bot five down by the ocean. And yet here we are in the middle of nowhere.
>> You find a bag seal.
>> First developed in Europe in the 13th century. Bag seals were fasteners used to secure large quantities of goods inside cloth packaging. The Oak Island team previously found one of these items on lot 5 that was British and could date back to the 16th century.
However, they uncovered another one near the shore on lot 32 [music] that was a scientific match to the 14th century lead cross which may be connected to the Knights Templar.
Is it possible that Rick and Kata have just found a similar artifact?
To the best of my knowledge, >> I don’t think there was a homestead here. I just for the life of me I can’t understand why it’s here. Just doesn’t make sense to me. I cannot explain [music] why this bag seal has been found almost in the middle of the lot, not in proximity to the open ocean. Everything prior to the causeway construction in 1965, things would have had to have come by the sea, by way of the sea. So, why it was lost in the middle of the lot, I cannot explain it. Look, it’s a great find. I’m more curious about this one than I am about bag seals found on there and there because if it had something to do with the work area then whatever was inside would have been needed here.
>> I’m really hoping that Emma and Leard can find a maker mark or monogram on it and we could really trace this back to where it came from.
>> Yeah, let’s get it analyzed. See if there is a maker’s mark or something.
>> Okay.
>> Yeah, good find.
>> Yeah.
>> Well, congratulations. Something I always wanted to find. Well done.
>> It’s cool, >> right?
>> Let’s keep looking.
>> Yeah, let’s do it.
>> The following morning, >> let’s find something.
>> Yeah.
>> Oh, hey guys. How you doing?
>> Craig Rick about ready?
>> Yeah, just about. While they wait for analysis on the new find from lot 8, Rick, Craig, and other members of the team meet with underwater imaging expert Ken Debor in the Money Pit area to investigate the possible 10-ft void nearly 150 ft deep in borehole BN3.5.
We’re going to try with the camera first so we can see if we can get an image down there. Sure. So, we’ll put the sonar down.
>> Can you explain it, Terry?
>> Can I explain it geologically? Not really. No. I mean, I’m looking for beams and posts here. That’s what I’m going to look for in that pitchers.
That’s what I’m gonna look for in the sonar imaging as well.
>> And perhaps a little chest over in the corner. [laughter] >> Cross your fingers, >> Ken. It’s up to you.
>> No pressure. No pressure.
>> No pressure at all.
>> No pressure.
>> All right. It’s very interesting. I mean, we’re in the area of high metal values. In my opinion, this would be an offset chamber >> potentially. Yes.
>> So, it’s quite interesting. So, I’m ready to go. Let’s have a look down there.
>> Okay. Let’s get at it. Before running a sonar device down the bore hole, the team will insert Ken’s highdefinition camera capable of operating in low light conditions with a lens that he can rotate 360°.
>> We’ll take it to 150 ft. So, we’re into the hole. Okay, >> down here. Touch down. Water. water.
>> We’d love nothing better than to see a man-made cave, cavern, vault, anything man-made really at that depth in that location. I don’t know what to expect, but I’m very eager to find out what’s down there.
>> How deep are we, Charles?
>> You’re 32 ft right now.
>> 80 ft.
90 ft. It’s close to the top of the chamber. 100.
>> Okay, there’s a silk cloud coming up from around a looks like a boulder or something. Oh. Oh, that could be a beam.
>> Wow.
>> Oh, wow.
>> There’s something here, isn’t there?
>> Steve, come up like about an inch or two. Okay.
>> [music] >> Oh. Oh, that’s good.
[music] You can make out almost like wall or something that there when you move away from it.
>> We go kind of go into more of an opening here.
>> Really?
Now that’s interesting.
>> There’s definitely some sort of opening there.
>> Yeah, for sure.
Yep.
>> Right there. Right there in the >> in the money pit area. The Oak Island team investigates a strange cavity some 150 ft underground.
>> Steve, do you want to just take us up slowly, kind of inch by inch?
>> Yeah, I sure will.
>> You tell me when to stop.
>> Oh, you see that?
Turn that way.
Hold it there for a second.
>> Okay, I’m going to steady it.
>> That looks like something.
>> I mean, you see the potential of having boulders on top of one another, but I mean, just off to the left or right could be the original man-made structure holding those boulders out.
>> Yes.
If there was a collapsed past a chamber down there or a tunnel, I mean, we’re going to see bare earth, >> but it’s looks like it has depth. That’s interesting.
>> Yeah, >> but we do see some potential boulder on boulder gate.
>> We’re we’re towards kind of the the rock facing wall, if you will, side of the bore hole.
>> Could Terry be correct that the team is looking into a man-made structure? If so, could it be connected to the precious metals that have been detected in this area?
>> If we rotate around this way, you see we start opening up here back into that cavity area right here.
>> That’s just very surprising.
>> Is that what you’re seeing, Ken?
>> Yes.
I’d put the sonar on and try to define the cavity.
>> That’s a great idea. Yep.
We can actually see some things but it’s difficult to understand scale. It’s difficult to get an a real interpretation of what you’re looking at. So the next step here is to introduce the sonar and see how open and how big, how wide, how long this area is.
So we have here is a scanning 360° sonar. The cables marked so we’ll know where that 150 ft is. Okie dokie. Keep your fingers crossed.
>> The Blue Robotics Ping 360 sonar device emits a soundwave that reflects off of objects and barriers.
>> We’re in water. We’re in the water.
>> This will produce full scale images of the underground void or possible cavern.
>> Show me the money.
>> Yeah.
>> So, we’re in the cavity as of right now.
Oh, there’s the opening.
>> Yeah, you’re in. You’re in. Okay. Okay.
Right there.
>> Here we go.
>> This darker red line is the opening. You can see how rough it is.
>> And the yellow is lower density returns and back scatter caused by particles in the water.
>> Right.
>> Go down just a little more.
>> Yep.
>> Oh, that popped out further.
>> Is that an opening now?
>> Looks like around the hard return. We’ve got an opening.
>> Oh, two directions, too.
Looks like it’s open. Wow.
>> To me, this looks very linear like with an opening here. Interesting.
>> So, it’s 2 ft from side to side right now.
>> If this is not natural, it could have been a larger cavity that has collapsed around it. So, >> true.
>> I mean, just out to the left or right, we might encounter what we’re hoping for.
>> Yeah.
>> This hole shouldn’t be open. There’s no reason for that. Geologically, there’s no reason for that. We found gold in the water in the area, >> right? It’s open down there. There’s no reason for it to be open unless man was down there doing something.
>> We have precious metals and high silver in the peacock and greater depths in the solution channel.
We’ve always speculated that there was more than call it an offset chamber or multiple vaults. Maybe we just found one of them. This is a priority target now that we have video. Let’s contact Prohawk, a company that enhances video to uh have it analyzed. We will incrementally pursue this because we’re trying to find the treasure. Right.
>> Yeah.
>> There’s every indication here that that could be in this specific area.
>> Yeah. We have a few more holes to drill in this area. Good deal.
>> Okay. Right on.
>> Let’s make it so.
Now, >> this is new.
>> Yeah, this is it. Obviously a road, but what can you tell us about it?
>> Yeah, that is very impressive. Wow, those are some big stones in there. It looks definitely like it was built for the purpose of being a road. In their quest to solve the 225year-old Oak Island treasure mystery, brothers Rick and Marty Lagginina, their partner Craig Tester, and the members of their team continue to unear incredible man-made workings that suggest whatever may have been buried here long ago was valuable enough to require massive engineering efforts to keep it hidden.
What I tend to find is that um when roads have been engineered with so much stone like this, they were designed to carry heavy loads.
Today, they’ve invited Terry Dvau, the former president of the New England Antiquities Research Association to inspect the massive stone road uncovered this year in the southeastern corner of the artificially made swamp. It is their hope that he can offer an informed opinion on its design and potential cultural origin.
>> This stone is two or three courses thick.
>> Exactly. There probably was a dock a little bit more to the sea.
>> Yeah.
>> And then this stone road would have likely have been put down in order to carry the loads from that dock to wherever they needed to take them.
How is this thing buried? Who builds roads in swamps and then lets the swamp, you know, swallow it up? And we’re not to the end of it. Could I have predicted that? Never.
>> They’ve just gotten started. They’re going to cut this entire part out.
>> Oh, okay.
>> But that is just a uh a swamp mat.
>> Yeah.
>> At the bottom in there.
>> You definitely can see that.
>> These cobblestones, you know, are a clearly defined feature. And the width of it to me that looks like about 6 feet. Yes.
>> For hundreds and hundreds of years, there was a standard uh cart track width of basically 5 ft. And so you needed your road to be just a little bit bigger than that. The fact that it’s at least that wide is supportive evidence that carts were being used to transport material. That’s an interesting observation because the coppled area is so well defined. And we’ve spoken of it before that a ship comes in, treasure is offloaded or something is offloaded to wagons pulled by oxen because we have the oxuse. It’s pulled up to the money pit and there’s your treasure story.
There’s your mystery. But it’s way too premature yet. I want the archaeologists to do their work and hopefully at the end of this investigation they will recreate what happened there.
>> Yeah, it definitely looks like the edge of another piece of the road, right?
That’s what it looks like to me.
>> But the key question is if you had to put a date on that, forced to, >> how old is it?
>> Well, I mean, that’s what makes that so interesting and special is like you said, the many courses of of stone that were used doesn’t fit in my eye either with the road building that we’re used to seeing from the French or the British during the colonial period in Nova Scotia. The type of technology that’s in evidence over there is not the way things have been done in this part of the world for the last 400 years. It’s very unusual.
>> Wow.
>> So to me it would speak to a technology of road building that people were used to using and were familiar with [music] prior to that.
>> Mhm.
>> Right. The 1500s or earlier people that came here from Europe were used to building roads that way with stone. the stone paved road in the swamp, possibly constructed by Europeans more than 500 years ago.
>> Now, you can see the carving quite clearly here. It’s It’s very beautiful.
>> In 2015, Terry showed Rick, Marty, Craig, and Dave Blankenship, a mysterious rock carving located in Overton, Nova Scotia, some 140 mi east of Oak Island.
>> Isn’t that a Templar cross? that he believes could date back to the same time period as this stone road. If Terry is correct about the stone road, could that mean it may be connected to other medieval European discoveries that the team has made on Oak Island, such as the 700-year-old lead cross discovered 3 years ago at Smith’s Cove and which is believed to possibly be linked to the Knights Templar.
on several levels. That is quite unique to you because it predates any British or French activity.
>> In my mind, it does. So >> that’s remarkable.
>> Yeah, it is. It is.
>> We didn’t anticipate your observation putting us that far back in time. So we thank you for that.
>> Mhm.
>> My pleasure. Anytime.
Later that morning, as Rick and other members of the team continue to excavate the stone pathway.
>> Hey, Craig. Hey, Marty.
>> His brother Marty meets with Craig Tester in the war room to discuss the status of the drilling operation currently underway at the money pit.
>> Okay. Um, you know, we’re trying to follow this tunnel, look for the money pit, and we just got done drilling C4.5.
It did hit tunnel.
>> Okay. But so far we have, you know, three wells that have hit that tunnel.
>> Okay.
>> Uh the good news is we did get uh C14 piece of wood >> for the piece of wood. Yep. And it dated to 1648 to 1694.
>> It’s great.
>> For right now, I’m convinced this isn’t coming. Two weeks ago, the team began a new core drilling program in the western region of the Money Pit area in the hopes of finally locating the original shaft that was first discovered in 1795.
Now that they have found a possible tunnel some 90 ft deep, dating as much as 150 years earlier, it is their hope if they can continue tracking it, it will soon lead them to the location of the fable treasure vault.
So, where do you want to go next?
>> We’re picking this location just to the northwest. It’s BC4. And hopefully it gives us more information on this tunnel leading in this direction.
>> Right.
>> Crazy stuff. You know, there shouldn’t have been anything up around C1 uh based on what we knew prior to this year. And we clearly have to follow this tunnel because we’re always looking for that breakthrough. And there’d be nobody happier than me to find out that we’ve been looking in the wrong place for the money pit.
>> So, I’m not discounting that the money pit could be up there. I mean, this is way from anything we thought.
>> Maybe the money pit’s in this area.
>> Well, that’s C1, right?
>> Yep.
>> Maybe this is where we should have been looking all the time. I mean, it was an interesting hole.
>> Yeah. So, >> all right. Sounds good to me. Let’s keep going. Drill.
>> Okay, we’ll do that. As Marty and Craig conclude their meeting in the war room.
>> Today’s going to be a good day, Rick. I can feel it in my wand.
>> Rick Lagginina joins metal detection expert Gary Drayton on lot 25 located on the western end of the island to continue their investigation of the site where late 18th century landowner Samuel Ball built a thriving homestead.
The only safety gear we need on for this, mate, is sunglasses. Cuz when we see the shine of that gold and silver, mate, >> that you got to >> damage your eyes.
>> That you got to prove it, Gary.
>> I believe you. I trust you. I’ll dig.
I’ll dig as far as you need me to dig, but you got to find it.
>> Okay, mate.
>> Because the ball foundation is a protected site, Gary is only permitted to dig up targets he previously marked with flags while under the supervision of provincial archaeologist Leair Nan.
There’s a group of pink flags here. This is the closest I believe to the ball foundation. Not sure if we’re ironing or not, but we have got one good pink flag over there. Let’s check these ones out.
Although Samuel Ball, a former American slave, was known to be a simple cabbage farmer, he would mysteriously become one of the wealthiest men in the province of Nova Scotia. This has led researchers and historians to speculate that perhaps he found something of great value on Oak Island.
>> Yeah, my guess is just there, mate.
It’s to this side of that little stump.
[music] Looks like it moved it.
We’re on it. Come on, baby.
[music] It’s in Miami.
What have we got here?
[music] What have we got here?
>> It is. It is. It is. It’s a coin or a button. On lot 25, Rick Lagginina and metal detection expert Gary Drayton have just made what could be a significant discovery on the former property of Samuel Ball.
Oh, it’s an old greeny. That means it’s a copper coin. And there’s a good chance it’s an oldie. We’re talking in 1730 1740s.
This isn’t one of the smaller coins we’ve recovered in the area. This is one of the larger coppers, uh, which is a good sign. Whenever you find large copper coins on Oak Island, you’ve got a good chance that one of them is going to be a British penny because of those really old pennies we found.
>> Everything that’s found on lot 25 could be attributed to Samuel Bald. It’s hard not to get excited. It’s hard not to get enthused. It’s hard not to say, “Well, let’s keep going and, you know, we’ll see what the coin says.” Sandy should be able to clean that up really, really well.
>> Oh man, I’m so pleased we flagged this.
And we’ve got a coin to put in the bag.
>> Mhm.
>> I like this coin.
>> I know. You smile. You grin. You I can’t wait for you to find a gold or silver. I mean, you’re going to be jumping 6 ft in the air. Right. Next flag.
No.
>> Good. Clear signal.
>> Yep.
>> He’s right on the edge of that rock.
>> Yep.
>> Fingers crossed it’s a good target.
It’s in situ.
>> I don’t want to damage it.
Wow. What is that?
This is beautiful.
>> What is it?
>> What a gorgeous artifact. This is a cane topper. It could be a riding crop topper or it could be a military swagger stick topper.
>> What’s on top?
>> Some kind of design. Look at that. That even that design looks old. Could have even come off Samuel Bull’s walking cane. I swear. You have a look, mate.
What do you see? What do you see on that design?
>> I see a crown.
>> That’s what it looks like. Yeah, >> I see a crown and some kind of leaf of floral design >> being a crown on there. And and I’m thinking Samuel Bull because he was in the military. This with a crown on it, you would think military.
As a young man, Samuel Bull earned his freedom by joining the British military during the American Revolution.
However, he was not known to have risen to the rank of an officer. Could Gary be correct that this canpper was part of his property?
Or could it mean that someone of high ranking in the British military came to visit him on Oak Island? And if so, what brought them here? And could it be connected to the mysterious wealth Sandal came to possess?
I’ve seen so many of these type of designs on artifacts from the 1700s all over England. This is really, really nice. And this is a sign of wealth. And with Samuel Bull being a black loyalist, I I wonder if this is something regimental, this crest >> that that emblem may may tell someone, hey, this is from a century before Samuel. So that may be outside of Samuel’s life.
>> It’s a very good point, Rick. We don’t know where this comes from. That that could be French, could be Portuguese, could be English. Anytime you find an artifact that may establish a date, timeline, ownership, it’s important and hopefully further investigation and further research will give us some clue as to who might have owned it and any cultural influences associated with it.
It’s very unique piece. There’s enough on this between the design, the shape to to get this idea that I’m sure that Doug Croll can do his research and find something similar to this. Who knows where this find will lead us, mate.
>> Who knows what else is here, mate. We got more flags to go.
>> Yep.
The following morning, as the investigation of the cobblestone road along the eastern edge of the swamp continues at the money pit, >> this is blue gray till here, Charles, just as mother nature left it.
>> Oak Island historian Charles Barkhouse and geologist Terry Mat are overseeing the drilling of Borehole BC4, where they hope to find more evidence of a tunnel that could be connected to the fable treasure vault. We’re still above the 87 ft tunnel depth that is now a new benchmark for us that we’ve seen a lot of tunneling at about that level. And when you find a tunnel, tunnel’s coming from somewhere and it’s going somewhere.
So, we’ll have to see what that is.
>> We have come to believe that there is this tunnel horizon at around 87 ft.
Will it yield benefit? I don’t know. But you have to follow the clues. And we have two significant clues.
>> 78 Terry, we got wood.
>> 78.
>> That’s some pretty significant beam going on there.
>> Yeah, >> it’s an odd depth.
>> This is really perplexing to me.
>> And in that point right there, we are in some very dense maroon till >> part of a wood beam discovered at a depth of 78 ft. If this has any connection to the tunnel they have been tracking because it is at a shallower depth, could that mean they have found a correlating shaft? And if so, could it be the original money pit? I think what’s going to be telling is that next core we pull up. If the timbers extend, then it’s a tunnel. But I just find it rather odd.
>> Fairly sharp edge there. There’s a there’s a cut edge right there. Hand hune. I can’t see any saw cut across it.
See the cutaway? There’s a ridge you see with a hack this way and that that says relatively old. Again, back to the more interesting uh possibility that it is and human. Let’s wash up a bit.
>> You 87 to 94s right here.
>> Okay. So, here’s the the one we’re really interested in.
Yep.
>> Having now reached the target depth of 87 ft, Terry Mat and Charles Barkhouse are hoping to find any evidence of a wooden tunnel or shaft that could be the smoking gun they need to prove they’re moving closer to the money pit treasure.
>> All right, let’s open this up a little.
Okay, there’s a No, looked like wood, but it is not.
>> But if this is a collapsed tunnel, it should be softer through here, right?
>> Well, yeah.
Well, I’ll tell you what. We got we got fiber, but I don’t see any beams here.
No significant workings or beam or tunnel here. We got a few flexcks of wood which almost certainly came from above.
>> You got wood here.
>> What?
>> That’s wood there.
>> That’s interesting. That is wood. No question. And it was embedded, too.
>> Yeah, it was right in here.
>> And there’s another chunk there. We’re probably at the edge of a tunnel and this loose material is what collapsed and squashed out to the sides and we’re now clipping the sides in this tunnel.
>> A possible tunnel at a depth of some 87 ft in borehole BC4.
Could it be confirmation that they’ve indeed once again intersected a tunnel dating back as much as 150 years prior to the discovery of the money pit? If so, they might not have pinpointed the location of the fabled treasure vault yet, but they may be one major step closer to it.
>> It’s almost impossible to deny that this is a tunnel. It is consistent in terms of depth. It’s possible. We’re very close to the money pit.
>> Beams didn’t just kind of sneak their way in there. People put them there. So, there must have been a peopleiz opening.
>> It’s got to do with a tunnel that went in very close to this.
>> Yep. So hopefully we’re close and ultimately we will be victorious.
>> While the drilling operation at the money pit continues in the uplands along the eastern edge of the triangle-shaped swamp.
>> Good afternoon.
>> How are you?
>> Rick Lagginina joins geocscientist Dr.
Ian Spooner and archaeologists Miriam Emerald and Dr. Aaron Taylor as they continue to unearth more evidence of the massive stone pathway extending into the uplands. The questions that remain are who built it, what was it used for, and where does it ultimately lead?
>> Is it still here?
>> Yep.
>> That way.
>> At this point, we don’t know where this is going, but I’m not too worried about it. We just take it one day at a time and go from there. See what it tells us.
>> What’s important to us is that it’s this brown material here, >> right?
>> And every time we get to the bottom of it, we hit rocks. They’re all together.
were into people placed rocks, >> right?
>> We’re pretty sure that they were still defining a road here, >> right?
>> Stone Road is a lot of work. Where did all these stones come from? It’s not like a pile of stone was dumped on the beach. These stones had to be acquired.
When you look at them, they’re not from the beach. These are brought from the uplands. So, we need to know where this road goes.
>> I mean, I think we have to take a little bit more of a look at that bank. One thing we did notice, did you see the red standing down? That’s an old fire pit.
>> Wow.
>> The charcoal’s in it. Somebody was building the fire cuz they were building the road. And so again, it’s just another indication that people were building this >> a fire pit possibly used in the construction of the massive stone paved road. If so, what other clues might be found nearby that were also left behind that could potentially help identify just who made this? Well, put me to work. What can I do? What? How can I help?
>> Well, do we want to get to the edge of this this way?
>> Yeah.
>> Yeah.
>> I’ll start up here so I’m not in anybody’s way.
>> I just dearly love to uh again if we can come up with a stake or an artifact.
>> Okay. Well, keep digging and see what happens.
>> As Rick Lagginina continues to oversee the investigation in the swamp.
>> Hey, Doug. Tell me. Marty Lagginina and metal detection expert Gary Drayton arrive at the research center to meet with Oak Island historian Doug Kroll who has claimed and also been researching the possible cane topper found one day ago on lot 25.
>> I’ve been meaning to look at this.
>> I’ve been trying to match up the symbol to a maker mark. That’s what I’m treating it as right now.
>> That’s really pretty though.
>> That is fantastic. Well, that is interesting that he’s a rose and crown because Samuel B was a black loyalist.
>> Yes.
>> And he was working with the English military back in the day and there’s an English symbol on that.
>> Oh yeah.
>> The crown and rose is a symbol of the English monarchy which dates back to 1485 when Henry VIIIth defeated Richard III in a series of civil wars known as the War of the Roses.
Could it be possible that this cane or potential swagger stick topper is connected in some way to British royalty? [music] If so, how did it end up on property once belonging to Samuel Ball?
>> Is doing there’s a rose and crown on this. And you think it’s what?
>> I think that is could be one of three things to me. It looks like a cane topper, a riding crop topper, or it could be a swagger stick topper. M. And a swagger stick is >> remember the old regimental days with a swagger stick. Yeah.
>> Yeah. Yeah. A sort of badge of authority.
>> Yeah. And it goes all the way back to Roman days and then it became really popular in the English military from the 1600s on.
>> It just seems to me we shouldn’t be able to find this exact thing.
>> There’s so many variations of it.
>> This was gilded. I think Gary. Wow.
Gilding, which dates back thousands of years to ancient Egypt, is a decorative process by which thin layers of gold, also known as gold leaf, are applied to the surfaces of precious objects.
Has the team found something that Samuel Ball had made after he became a wealthy man? Or could it have possibly been an actual piece of the Oak Island treasure?
>> Once again, show Sammy Ball was no ordinary farmer. It’s a luxury item.
Yeah.
>> I mean, it seems to be a man that took pride in his possessions.
>> Yeah.
>> That is a Bobby Dazzler of the five.
>> Yes, it is.
>> And it may tell us something about the search. I mean, you know, we could be jumping to conclusions. Maybe it’s not Samuel Ball. Maybe it’s somebody before him, right? I mean, we could be jumping to conclusions. Yeah. We don’t know the story on that yet. That that has to be run to ground and you are just a man.
>> Yeah. I’m going to try.
>> So, Gary, great find.
>> Yep. find some more. [laughter] >> Let’s go do it.
>> Okay, mate.
>> See you guys.
>> See you, dog.
>> Hi, Chads.
>> Hey, Gary.
>> Michael’s here to hopefully help you guys recover what you’re searching for.
>> One day after the Oak Island team discovered the remains of an ancient fire pit in the middle of the stone pathway running along the eastern border of the swamp, Gary Drayton along with Michael John joined Dr. Ian Spooner and archaeologists Miriam Emerald and Dr.
Aaron Taylor as they continue to carefully excavate the site as well as expose more of the pathway to determine just where it is leading.
>> I guess Rick wanted you to go over the spoils.
>> Okay. Wow, there’s plenty of spoils as well.
>> We got lots of spoils. So, we’re going to work here and give us a scream if you if you get anything.
>> All right, mate. We’ll get stuck into the spoils.
It is the team’s hope that Gary and Michael can find more clues and artifacts that will help precisely date the fire pit and the stone pathway as well as identify who made them.
Good place to start. Just here.
That didn’t take long, did it? Eh, just in there, mate.
Okay, mate. I’ll have a recheck.
What is this?
What we got here?
>> I mean, it’s quite heavy. It feels old.
It’s irregular.
>> It doesn’t look modern.
>> No, it doesn’t.
>> It doesn’t look factory machineade. So, it’s pre-industrial revolution, but maybe even older.
Now, it could be some kind of I don’t know, maybe a wheelbearing and may maybe it was off a car, an axle of a car. So, maybe this was connected to those ox shoes which were along this trail. Could Gary be correct that he and Michael have found a wheel bearing that came from an old cart? If so, could it be connected to the large iron ring bolt and the parts of keg barrels the team has recently discovered along this stone pathway?
Discoveries which not only date back as much as 400 years or older, but also serve as evidence that the pathway may have been used to transport heavy cargo off of a ship and onto Oak Island.
Aaron, can you come and check this out, please, mate? Sure.
We found this irregular piece of iron.
It just it’s got an heavy feel to it.
Looks kind of oldish.
>> Well, that’s a pretty cool find.
>> I was thinking maybe it was off a car axle.
>> I have no idea.
Well, it’s not modern. Potentially.
Yeah. How about I bag it up and I’ll take it to the lab.
>> Okay, mate.
>> All right. That’s great.
>> All right, on to the next.
>> As Gary, Michael, and members of the team continue searching for clues along the stone pathway in the swamp.
Nice.
Rick and Marty Lagginina along with members of the team have gathered for a highly anticipated video conference with Sarah McGinness, a historian from the Fortress of Lewisburg National Historic Site some 300 m northeast of Oak Island to get her expert opinion on some of their recent finds, including the oddshoes discovered near the swamp as well as the possible cane topper unearthed at the Ball Foundation.
So, gentlemen, today we have the distinct pleasure of welcoming Sarah McInness, the historian from Fort Lewisburg. Doug and I had the pleasure of of meeting her when we visited there.
Completed in 1740 by the French as they battled for control of Nova Scotia with Great Britain, the fortress at Lewisburg was considered a monument to 18th century military engineering. It features over 2 m of stone walls, some as much as 30 ft high and 8 ft thick.
But the reason why it remains a curiosity to the Linas and their team, is the fact that not only does the fort have a vast network of secret tunnels that were constructed beneath it, but also because a large cache of treasure once kept there by the French is believed to have gone missing sometime in the mid 1700s.
>> Pretty impressive.
One year ago, Rick Lagginina and Doug Croll visited the fortress of Lewisburg.
>> Oh, Rick, come and look at this one.
>> And were also stunned by stone paved features on the grounds that eerily resembled the massive stone-paved area unearthed last year in the middle of the swamp, which geoccientist Dr. Ian Spooner dated to as early as,200 AD.
We sent her off some photographs of uh some of the artifacts that have been found. We very much look forward to what Sarah has to tell us.
>> Thank you so much for having me.
>> We’re really fortunate here with Parks Canada at the Fortress of Leburg National Historic Site to have one of the largest archaeological collections, if not the largest in all of Canada. The photographs that you sent to me, I I took them and I did a comparison of objects that we actually have within a collection. the object that you guys have identified as a possible cane topper. So there are a number of cane toppers within the collection here and none of them really are of the same style of the one that you have. So the 18th century canes or walking sticks that were used were really ornamental and were really kind of a fashion piece.
The piece that you found is definitely very interesting because it does feature some ornamental elements that may provide some help in actually dating the piece.
>> What have you gleaned from that?
>> So, I was unable to identify that design. It’s not something that we’ve seen, but there may be someone who recognizes it and is able to date it from that design.
Did you excavate it later? It’s >> from a site I’m working on. It’s smaller, I think, than a cane topper. I think it’s a lipstick cover.
>> Ah, >> I wasn’t able to tell from the photos.
Is there gilding on it?
>> It’s almost like a a guilt wash.
>> There’s always that option that it may be something that we’re just not thinking of.
>> Makes sense. [music] >> And we send you anything that you found.
you know, you have a comparable object in your collection.
>> It is interesting that you have found some ox shoes on the island.
This does seem to match what we have in our collection.
>> In the war room, historian Sarah McInness has just revealed that the shoes the team has found this year near the swamp match those found at the fortress of Lewisburg, 300 m northeast of Oak Island. a mid 18th century French military compound where a large treasure is believed to have gone missing in the 1740s.
>> I think you’ve got a lot of objects that show occupation during that colonial period, which I I know wouldn’t necessarily be unexpected, but it’s definitely interesting to see. Could it be possible that the similarities and features found in the Oak Island swamp, such as the massive paved area discovered last year and the offshoots found nearby are evidence that the missing Lewisburg treasure may be connected to the Oak Island mystery?
That’s pretty interesting stuff regarding the fortress connection to Oak Island. Do we have two stories, three stories, or is this connected over centuries of activity by various groups or entities? The story of Oak Island is the real treasure and beginning to be exemplified by the finds we’re making.
Thank you for your time today. Uh we certainly have a plethora of items here that we’d love to put in your hands and compare within your collection. Again, we we say thank you.
>> Thanks for including us and giving us the opportunity to share.
>> Great. Well, as Rick said, thank you pine.
>> Bye.
>> That was interesting. And we’ve, you know, we certainly owe a debt of gratitude. Anyway, it’s time to get back to work.
>> As Rick and the team complete their meeting in the war room, Michael, just in >> back in the swamp, Gary Drayton and Michael John continue searching for clues [music] in a spoils pile that were recently removed from a buried fire pit bound along the mysterious stone pathway.
Yeah, you got it out.
>> Yeah.
>> Whatever it is, it’s just here.
>> Oh, very interesting. Yeah.
>> A nice short spike. It’s an oldie. Look.
>> Yeah. Is it a rose head?
>> Yeah. See there, mate. Michael, that’s your classic rose head spike.
>> Yes.
>> That’s an old old nail. And I know it’s old because of the weight of it. Feel the weight of it, mate.
>> Yeah. A handforged rose head spike found in a fire pit along the stone pathway.
>> Hey Jack, check this out.
>> It looks like it it might be pounded into an old rose hat. Earlier this year, while searching through the spoils excavated from Orholo 061 in the Money Bit area, where the team also discovered evidence of a wooden tunnel that dated to 1706, Michael found a nearly identical rose head spike.
>> Well, you’re in the 1700s with that.
>> Could this rose head spike found in the swamp be evidence connecting the stone pathway with the man-made workings in the money pit area? And could it also be an important clue that the stone pathway might date to the same period?
>> No doubt it came from out of there. So, it is an artifact connected to whatever that stone feature is there. Oh, mate.
Very nice artifact indeed. It’s going to be beautiful when it’s cleaned up. Try and find some more artifacts. Right.
Later that afternoon, after hearing about the team’s recent discoveries along the stone pathway, Marty Lagina joins archaeologist Dr. Eric Taylor along with Ghawk Property Improvement representatives Josh Ballard and John Winters to continue looking for clues that will hopefully help identify when this feature was made and just who was behind its construction.
>> What’s going on? Give me a summary if you can, Aaron.
>> So, uh, we’ve been following the cobblestones, >> right? So, what we’re looking for is cobblestone in the dark organic layer, which I’m coming to on now. Everything in this light brown, the clay, it has to go.
>> So, you want me to dig right there?
>> Right there would be perfect. I’m just going to keep working here.
>> Okay.
>> Hope you ate your weedies this morning.
>> No, I didn’t, actually. [laughter] How far back am I coming here?
>> I’d love to find the swamp boundary.
>> So, keep coming.
>> Yeah.
>> All righty.
Hey, wait a second. Look at that.
Look at that.
>> That’s cut, I’d say.
>> Oh, yeah. That’s definitely cut.
>> Yeah. Right there. Right there. Right there.
>> So, that’s staking it. Great find.
>> Yeah.
>> Would they use that as like a survey stake? You think?
>> Stake out the road. Like if guys like us were working. Okay.
>> Somebody go through first. Say between there and there, right?
>> Yeah. That’s beautiful.
a wooden stake lining the stone pathway.
Is it possible that this wooden stake was used to help engineer and construct the massive stone road? And if so, could it prove to be a critical clue to help date when the feature was made?
>> We will carbon date that, right?
Especially with the way carbon dates have been coming in so crazy.
>> Yeah, we’ll definitely get a date on it, showing that this whole thing is being staked off and we’re still in it and we’re following the line. Yeah, that means we haven’t run out of it then.
>> That means we haven’t run out of it.
>> Yeah, that’s good.
>> That’s great, Marty.
>> Great. Not quite as nice as the steak I had for dinner last night, but in archaeological circles, >> I don’t have a beef with this.
>> Excellent. [laughter] I think right now everybody’s skyhigh on the possibilities of what the swamp might tell us.
As with many of the things we’re getting out of the swamp, it’s another amazing moment because I think this is something. Somebody laid that road out for the guys who came along and built it. Maybe this will be it. Maybe this will be the thing that breaks it wide open.
>> I’ll bag it and uh we’ll get it to the lab. Great.
>> Yeah, I found something here, Aaron.
>> Yeah, just All right.
As a new day of adventure begins on Oak Island.
>> That’s perfect, Marty.
>> Brothers Rick and Marty Laggina along with their team are working more diligently than ever to peel back the layers of a 225year-old treasure mystery.
And along the eastern border of the mysterious triangle-shaped swamp, they continue to unearth remains of a potentially ancient stone pathway that may have been used for purposes of moving heavy cargo away from an old ship’s wararf and somewhere inland. The questions now are just what was being hauled onto the island and will this pathway lead them to it?
>> What are you thinking, boss?
Well, I think if we pull up the organic matter >> right there.
>> Yeah. See, seems like the cobbles are just right underneath that.
>> It’s terribly hard work to dig in the swamp because everything resists the shovel. The sort of vegetative mat resists the shovel. But worse is trying to dig on this road. Every time you try and put the shovel in, you hit a rock.
>> Oh, you got one there. Sure. And then you have to come back and just kind of scrape along the top because in this case, rocks are what we’re looking for.
>> There’s another one.
>> Yep.
>> But here’s what changes it. When you find something, you’re re-energized.
When you dig on Oak Island, you find things.
>> Oh, there they are.
>> Yep.
[panting] >> Marty.
Oh, baby.
>> Right there.
>> Right there.
>> Another steak. Look at that.
>> Wow.
>> A wooden stake found bordering the pathway.
>> Look at that.
>> That’s cut.
>> Just one week ago, Marty made an identical discovery on another portion of the pathway that archaeologist Dr.
Aaron Taylor believes may have been used as a survey marker when the [music] feature was originally built >> and showing that this whole thing is being staked off and we’re following the line.
These discoveries are not only helping the team uncover more of the very pathway and determine the direction it is heading, but may also be important clues as to when it was constructed.
Dr. Taylor puts great emphasis on these so-called survey stakes because he believes that they are critical in terms of understanding the timeline of the road and the only tool we have to apply to that is carbon dating.
What do we got there? That cut.
>> Yep.
>> Snuffed off though.
>> But it’s >> We only care about one end.
>> Yeah. And she’s cut.
>> That’s cut for sure.
>> So, what does it mean?
>> Say what to an awful lot of effort to survey this in. Wow.
>> Why so many right here? You haven’t found that many in one spot before.
>> God, no.
Are they Are they >> Yeah, that’s what I think. There’s a change going here.
>> There’s a change going on.
>> I really want to know where this road goes in the swamp. And these stakes are going to tell a story. In other words, somebody came along, staked it out, then workman came but behind and built it. So now we’re sort of at a juncture. It looks like there’s an army of people down here. Hey Rick, ask Rick, ask what the score is here. Go ahead. Ask [laughter] what’s the score.
>> Uh Marty is leading on sharpen survey stakes that we found. The amazing thing, Rick, is they’re finding all kinds of them here.
>> Right in here, >> just in this.
>> The reason there’s so many here is possibly there’s something going on here that’s not been going on along the rest of the way. And maybe this is a turning point.
>> It kind of seems to be turning, doesn’t it? Something special about this. It could be going two different ways.
>> The stone pathway possibly now branching off in two directions. Although archaeologist Dr. Aaron Taylor has speculated that it may be leading toward the fabled money pit treasure shaft, could this new potential pathway mean there might be yet another hiding place where valuables could be buried on Oak Island?
>> You know, every little piece adds up. We just have to keep following the gobles.
>> Mhm. What’s that?
>> Oh yeah.
Look at that.
>> Oh, brick’s on the board. One. One. I’m on the board.
>> You’re on the board.
>> I’m going to give you half a point for that anyway. [laughter] >> As long as I’m on the board.
>> Half a point.
>> While Rick and Marty continue leading the investigation at the swamp.
>> So, Charles, here we are. 59 to 69 on C3. In the money pit area, Oak Island historian Charles Barkhouse and geologist Terry Mat are overseeing the drilling operation currently taking place in borehole C3.
Interestingly, as we’ve come over to this area, we’ve drilled five holes and it’s been pretty much five out of five and we keep hitting wood each and every time. There’s a tunnel down there in an area where we’re trying to pick up the money pit.
>> So, we’re looking for the shaft, but secondary target is the tunnel.
>> Well, yeah.
That is wood. No question. We’re probably at the edge of a tunnel.
>> Over the course of the past 2 weeks, the team has consistently drilled into what they believe to be a man-made wooden tunnel at a depth of some 90 ft that has been scientifically dated to as early as 1648, some 150 years prior to the original discovery of the money pit.
Now, having moved just feet westward with borehole C3, they are hoping to soon intersect the treasure shaft and finally recover whatever might lie buried at the bottom of it.
>> Special delivery right down here, gentlemen. Put the patient on the table.
>> What do you think, Mike?
>> You better let the doctor cut it open.
>> Okay.
Whoa.
>> We got wood.
>> Bingo. Hold your cards there. A little bit of wood. Holy cow.
88 87 86.5. I’m telling you, it’s right on the money. Unbelievable. For six holes we’ve drilled, we’ve hit wood at almost exactly 86 or 87 ft each time.
>> We’re definitely on top of something.
There’s there’s no question of that.
We’re intersecting. Um it’s obviously a tunnel and the question is where’s that tunnel lead?
>> Yeah. If this is indeed a tunnel, then we have to follow that because, you know, that could lead us to where the money pit could be.
>> You know, this is six out of six.
>> I know.
>> I think I’m going to touch base with Rick just to let him know that we’ve hit something again. I mean, this gets more and more interesting every time we drill a hole in this area.
>> We are in and around something.
>> Hi, Rick. How you doing?
>> Where are you here?
>> This is 86. It’s It’s >> And we’re hitting it again at at 88.
>> In the money pit area, Rick Lagginina joins members of the team after being alerted that they may have obtained more evidence of a tunnel some 87 ft deep in bore hole C3 that they hope could be connected to the original treasure shaft.
>> So, and we’re currently here. We showed all the wood hits in the previous five holes there, >> right? But anyway, you only hit it at 87, which has been consistent through all of these holes.
>> Yes.
>> But I think the preponderance of evidence says we’ve got a tunnel or some kind of a structure that is being constructed at the 87 ft level below grade.
>> We’ve got one, two, three, four, maybe five, six hits and it’s consistent in horizon.
>> It’s a tunnel. Well, people built it and they went somewhere.
>> Yeah. Does it lead to the money pit?
Does it lead to another shaft that we don’t know anything about? You have to chase it. There’s no no doubt about it.
>> Yeah.
>> I think this is very important corroborative evidence. I.e. the drill has struck this maybe 7 ft horizon and wood has been retrieved. The problem is we don’t know the beginning of the tunnel. We don’t know the end of the tunnel. Is it coming from a previously unknown shaft towards the money pit?
What’s its relationship to the money pit and who dug it?
>> If it is going this way, then you have to put some holes up here.
>> Yeah.
>> To see if it continues.
>> No, absolutely.
>> You’ve got to follow this line.
>> You have to follow the line. Yes.
Absolutely.
>> Okay. Keep drilling.
>> Okay.
>> We’ll do.
>> Thanks, guys. See you later, Rick.
>> Bit of work to be done.
>> Okay.
The following morning at the swamp.
>> See the cobble picks up. We’ll dig there and see if it continues.
>> Rick Lagginina along with his nephew David Fernetti join archaeologist Miriam Emerald and heavy equipment operator Billy Garnart as they try to confirm whether or not the mysterious stone pathway [music] is beginning to branch off in two separate directions.
>> Billy Miriam, we finally arrived. So what is the status right now? So, I’m finding stones here, which is a good sign that I think the road or the path is still continuing this way. This point, we see some cobble, but I’m not fully convinced yet.
>> This is pretty descriptive right here.
>> Yeah, >> right here.
>> Yep.
>> If we just take a section across here, it’s hard to refute if this is indeed a legitimate area of cobble. It’s definitely headed up that way.
>> Yeah. Just right now, it is a bit of a jumble. So, I think getting this layer of dirt off the top here would, you know, allow us to be able to definitively say, okay, yes, it’s turning this way.
>> But it certainly does appear as though it’s going uphill. But let’s confirm it here.
>> Yeah, for sure.
>> All right, I’ll start here. Dave, you start on the wall. And >> Sounds good.
>> I’m getting a bit frustrated because the time and weather constraints are are closing in. And I’m not sure we’re any closer to understanding the who and the when and the why of this. stone road in a bog 500 ft away from the money pit.
So, you know, there’s a lot of work to do. Are we about to quit? No.
This is This shouldn’t be here.
See that, Bill?
This shouldn’t be here. Th This is puddled clay.
See that, Miam?
See that? That’s the really good puddled clay.
>> Yeah.
>> Look at that. No sand, no rocks, no grit, and it’s just like putty.
This is what was found in the money that puddled blue clay.
Not only was this type of man worked substance found to have been used as a sealant deep in the money bed when it was first excavated to the 90 ft level in 1804.
>> Look at the clay. It just packed on to it. But one year ago, the team also found large amounts of it within a previously dug pit at the northernmost point of the swamp. Also referred to as the eye of the swamp, a feature that geoccientist Dr. Ian Spooner dated to as early as 1680.
Is it possible that with this discovery of puddled clay on the stone pathway?
Rick Lagginina has just found an important clue that the pathway is connected to both the eye of the swamp and the original money pit.
>> Finding clay in amongst stones is a good sign because it could have been used, you know, to hold the >> as a binder together. Yeah, exactly.
So here it might be used as a binder as you say and over there it was used as a a caulk. It was to prevent collapse.
Right. You don’t want soils migrating down. It’s not difficult.
>> But it’s interesting that it’s in both locations.
>> Interesting that it’s in both locations.
Exactly. You find something which may be useful here just as useful over there.
As strange as it is, we now have possible, and I reiterate, possible, connection between the money pit and the stone path. And so it increases the probability that we may be traveling down the right road.
It’s all through here. And generally, this stuff, it’s found at depth.
>> Mhm.
>> It’s not found at these horizons.
So, was it brought in? I don’t know.
>> There’s something going on up across there for sure.
>> Mhm.
You got to keep digging. See what else you can find.
>> As Rick continues to oversee the work in the swamp right over here.
>> Mark, >> David Fernetti joins metal detection expert Gary Drayton and Michael John on nearby lot 15 where they are about to excavate a mysterious mount located in the vicinity of the Pinear Kelm discovered earlier this year.
Hello.
>> Hello.
We got a game plan, mate.
>> Yeah, >> there could be anything in there, mate, because this is a special area.
>> That’s right.
>> So, what is this thing?
>> The Pine Tar Kilm.
>> In addition to the Pine Tar Kilm, which could date back as far as the 16th century.
>> Well, this is historically important.
>> Wow.
>> Really?
The team also discovered a number of ox shoes in the area potentially dating to the same time period and which offer possible evidence of a large scale operation to haul cargo between the swamp and the money pit. And where you going to put the spoils?
>> I’ll put them um like right here for you.
>> Just right.
>> Yeah, that’s great.
>> Okay, let’s do it.
>> We’ll keep our eye out. You never know.
Could be a piece of leather, pottery, glass, anything that tells the story.
>> Sounds good.
>> Using the excavator, Michael John will carefully break up the hard compacted mound, allowing Gary to scan the loose oils with his metal detector.
>> We’re going to find the treasure in here.
>> Would be nice, wouldn’t it?
>> It would.
There’s iron in the ground. You want to dig it up, David, and see what it is.
[music] >> That’s ground rocker, isn’t it?
>> Yeah.
>> Yeah. Could you take a scoop out of here, Michael? Yeah. And >> we’ll get it. Thanks.
the bus here.
>> Yeah, that’s great. Thanks.
>> Yeah, we got it out, mate.
>> Okay.
>> All right. Let’s see what the mystery item is.
Oh, a little bit bigger than a tin can.
Oh, wow.
>> Wow. The heck is that?
I’ve been metal detecting a heck of a long time and I’ve never seen anything like this. While investigating a mysterious mound on lot 15 between the swamp and the money pit, metal detection expert Gary Drayton and members of the team have just made a puzzling discovery.
>> What’s that?
>> I don’t know. Let’s get some of this crude off it.
Wow, it’s so heavy. Feel how heavy that is, David.
>> I was not expecting that.
>> Normally, the deeper an object is when you detect it and dig it out, the older it is.
>> Yeah. But we won’t know until that’s cleaned up, and I ain’t got a top pocket big enough to put that in.
>> I’d like to know what went on in this area. We found a large piece of iron, and this doesn’t disappoint. Do you want to pull that on that boulder, please, David? Thanks.
>> We haven’t found one like this before on the island. It’s really unusual.
>> Maybe you could chunk another scoop out of there.
>> Okay.
Now I got a iron signal that might be connected to this. [music] >> Oh, is this it? I see it.
It’s more of the same.
>> Okay. Oh, wow. There you go.
>> I see what this one’s like.
It’s that same kind of deal. I believe this was handforged.
This is raw iron. And now there’s two pieces. [music] Even better. And I wouldn’t be surprised if there’s another piece similar to this already in the ground.
>> That’s right. I say we see if we can find that other one.
>> All right, mate. Yep. Let’s go for the next one. See what’s in the hole.
Want to dig it out, Dave?
Just there, mate. See what you got. Yep.
>> Oh, look. We got another one.
>> Wow.
>> Heck are these?
>> I got to come and see this one.
>> Yeah, mate. This is even bigger than the last one. This doesn’t look like anything to do with shafts or tunnels or farming to me. But again, that nice crude shape and the fact that we have got three pieces now >> in the same area. What the heck was going on here? This isn’t a oneoff.
>> That’s right.
>> These are here for a reason.
>> You know what I’m thinking? Could be malice. you know, just for the size and the weight.
>> That is a really good point, Michael.
With so many warfs along this side, these pieces could have been ships.
Ballast, possible pieces of ballast.
Dating back as far as the 15th century, heavy objects known as ballast were stored deep in the hulls of large sailing vessels to help give them balance on the high seas. Could Michael John be correct that these mysterious pieces of iron were once used as ballast in a large sailing vessel? If so, could they be clues connected to the mysterious stone wararf discovered this year in the man-made swamp or the numerous burnt objects believed to be parts of a ship that have also been found in the brackish bog?
>> Feel the weight of that one, David.
[laughter] I was ready for that.
>> Yeah, that’s incredible.
>> Yeah.
And now we got three pieces to take to Cman Lake.
>> Well, I say we keep digging and see if we can’t find some more.
>> Yeah, you’re right, David. All right, mate. We’ll see what else is here. All right, >> two days later.
>> Hey guys.
>> Hello ladies and gentlemen. Brothers Marty and Rick Lagginina gather with members of the Oak Island team for a highly anticipated report on the wood stakes recently discovered along [music] the stone pathway in the swamp.
>> Today should be a very interesting war.
We have in front of us probably the most significant artifact that has been found on the road to date. And I believe Craig has the C-14 test results. And so I’m sure we’re all very interested in finding out what these dates are.
>> Yes, we are.
>> Craig, take it away.
Okay, got a data back on two of the stakes that were found in the swamp.
They’re both found by Marty and Aaron.
It’s basically two time periods. One, the sample 112 is from 1719 to 1826 and at 113 from 1636 to 1684.
[laughter] Wow.
Well, before the money bit.
The preponderance of the data speaks to well before the money pit discovery >> in the Oak Island war room. Rick, Marty, Craig, and the team have just confirmed that the wooden survey stakes found along the stone pathway on the eastern border of the swamp could date back as far as 1636, meaning that the pathway might date that early as well.
These stakes were survey stakes, so they were put in prior to the search period, and they’re adding up with a lot of the artifacts that we’re finding um as we’re moving upland.
>> I believe that the middle part of the 1600s to the latter part of the 1600s, that C14 date is more relevant. That’s almost century and a half before [clears throat] the money pit was discovered. I am stunned by those dates.
>> It’s great news as as far as the treasure hunt goes, >> except that they’re a century apart.
>> Yeah.
How could those two be so different though? I mean, Aaron, we found those right next to each other, didn’t we?
>> Yeah. Within probably 10 ft of each other.
>> If those massive projects were done at one time, where is the evidence? We’ve always stumbled over that.
>> There’s a couple periods going on there that we haven’t quite figured out. It speaks to me like there’s more than one occupation period for this.
>> That does make a lot of sense in that if let’s say it was made, the road was made very long ago and then the swamp covered it up except for the upland portion.
>> Yeah. And then people used that but they couldn’t use the portion under the swamp anymore. That would explain exactly what you’re saying.
>> But again, why why why >> I’m going to make an assumption that we’re relatively bright people and we can’t come up really with a plausible reason for any of this.
>> I think if we look at each other honestly, we’re more confused than we have ever been.
>> Mhm. [clears throat] Exactly right, Rick. I thought the stakes would be a little bit more helpful than they are because, you know, at least they could be consistent. They were found right next to each other. But still, even with the inconsistency, everything keeps pointing back to long before the money pit was discovered. And I think we need to just keep gathering data till it all starts to line up somehow, till it tells a story. I discover it. I guess that’s where I’m at.
>> Yeah, I concur. All the data is tying quite well. So hopefully artifacts can tell us that story.
>> I don’t think anybody can argue that something very odd, very unique, and way too early for what we know of the written history of Nova Scotia happened on Oak Island, long before 1795. So what do I make of these dates? We’re at least chasing something real. Very helpful and and very gratifying. It’s funny because when we first came, we thought science was going to give us all the answers.
Unfortunately, the real answers are coming from shovels and tles. I guess we have more digging and trollling to do because there are answers there. So, I think we just need to stay the course and keep doing what we’re doing.
>> I think so.
>> Hopefully before the end of the year, we’ll have some answers.
>> Please, no more questions.
>> We’ll try. We’ll try >> later that afternoon on the eastern edge of the swamp.
>> Hey Erin, how much further do you want to go?
>> I just want a definitive that we have cobblestones here, that it hasn’t detourred.
>> Rick Lagginina and members of the team continue their efforts to investigate the possible fort in the potentially early 17th century stone road or pathway. If we get you around the other side, show you something kind of cool.
So, we’re getting a boundary here. We obviously we’re going to we’re going to pull back more. We’ve got these rocks that are still on top of swamp. You know, it’s still early, but we’re we’re thinking we have the swamp boundary of the stones. And if you look at the line, you know, it seems to be angling more that way.
And the other thing too, all these rocks are a size that easy to move, maximize the volume, the right size to build a cobble road.
>> Yeah, I know.
>> You can see them. They’re all that size.
So, we’re getting into an area of intense manipulation.
There’s a hell of a lot of work that went on up there. And there’s the eye in that down here. Some point, this thing is either going to go left, right, or straight ahead. Okay. So maybe the next step should be going this way.
>> Our next move is to come back over here and dig up the hill a little ways.
>> All right. So we got a plan.
>> We’ll go up there, Bill. You >> head off and do what you’re going to do with the swamp excavator. Aaron will be back.
>> Yeah. Okay.
>> All the archaeologists have stated with a construct such as the path. There may be more than one road leading to different places. Perhaps one to the money pit, perhaps one into the swamp.
Hopefully, they’ll be able to find supportive evidence that indeed the road has turned to the upper.
>> So, what are you thinking? I mean, you stopped digging there.
>> Yep. Well, it’s rocking here. So, I think we’re on the edge of the rocks.
>> We’re starting to see all this red color, the red colored rocks, and that’s a sign of an interface.
>> Yeah, there’s something here. I think we we might be on to something. So if we agree that the rocks were stacked and that’s not normal and if we agree that there’s a defined width and that’s not normal. So can we agree that it’s looks like it’s going uphill towards >> Yeah. Upland 15 money pit.
>> There’ be no reason to rock this unless you’re hauling real heavy stuff.
>> Yeah.
>> Yeah.
Could the team have found hard evidence that the stone path does in fact continue not only toward lot 15, but also toward the money pit?
>> Kudos to you for having the eye to pick this up.
>> Maybe I’ll just go up there like 10 or some more feet just to reestablish our edge on that side. It might give us a little angle as to [music] where we’re going.
>> I’m going to look over there and just try to understand that a little bit better.
>> Well, let’s get back to it.
>> Yeah.
[music] While the search operations near the swamp and in the money pit area continue.
>> Hey Carmen. Hello Charles. How are you?
>> Charles Barkhouse, David Fernetti and veteran treasure hunter Dan Hensky have traveled some 50 m north of Oak Island to Centerville, Nova Scotia.
>> Big stuff this time.
>> Big stuff. where they have arranged a meet with blacksmith expert Carmen Leg at historic Northville Farm to get his analysis of the iron artifacts found two days ago on lot 15.
>> So we have three pieces here. These were all found together. We were thinking ship ballast, but we really didn’t know because they’re just kind of oddshaped iron pieces.
>> Well, let’s have a look at it. It’s very heavy, isn’t it?
>> Yeah, >> extremely heavy. They all have that triangular shape to the ends, right?
They belong to the same equipment. The legs off of something. This one has a foot onto it, but it’s also rounded on the ends. So that meant that it was dragable. They could drag it from one place to another. This one here is actually bent a little bit. But this curvature is not indicative of of a purposeful bend. This was bent because of the pressure exerted onto it.
Something caused this to break. And something like that breaking would require a lot of tremendous destructive force. So, you mean it could have blown apart?
>> Yes.
I would say they’re legs off of a small cannon or a large signal cannon.
>> Any kind of date you can give us?
>> Because of the way it’s forged?
I’m going to say early 1700s. So, 1710, 1720.
parts of a signal cannon found on Oak Island which possibly date back to nearly a century before the discovery of the money pit. If so, who brought it to Oak Island? And for what purpose?
>> Any cultural influences here?
>> It would be English. It would be English. Yes. Yes.
>> You would think that if there was a big operation, they would have grapeshot and cannons, you know, for defense.
>> Yeah. It speaks to a number of theories involving certainly the British military, but other militaries, too.
Would you have any idea what a signal cannon would be doing on Oak Island?
>> Yes, there’s a possibility that could have been observation post to watch, you know, any ships coming in from the bay.
>> Could Carmen Lake be correct that these iron objects came from a British signal cannon? And does that mean they’re connected to the Pine Tar kiln on lot 15, which Carmen suspects might also be of British military origin?
and which archaeologist Lar Niffan believes could be linked to the construction of the original money pit.
If so, was the cannon possibly used in an effort to protect something of great value?
>> Wow. I think we got to get back and tell the guys about this.
>> I think you’re right. I think you’re right.
>> Very good. All right. Nice item. Thank you.
>> While Charles, David, and Dan make their way back to Oak Island. The only reason we’re really here is cuz we’re trying to figure out where that road goes.
>> On lot 13 near the eastern border of the swamp, Rick Lena, Gary Drayton, and geoccientist Dr. Ian Spooner are searching for evidence of which direction or directions the stone pathway could be leading.
>> Here we got these cobbles on the surface, but if there’s artifacts, then it tells us that it’s being manipulated.
You know, the bottom line is is we’re trying to figure out whether that road is going to eye left or right up the hill here.
>> There’s only one way to find out.
>> Because any extensions of the ancient pathway is currently buried under the soil, >> it is Dr. Spooner’s suspicion that Gary might be able to expedite the team’s ability to pinpoint more of the features if he can first locate any metal artifacts or evidence of human activity.
Big tiger here, guys. Oh, look at this.
We got iron in here. Look on the top.
>> Why would there be iron in here?
>> Somebody drilled that stone out and put that in the stone.
>> I wonder if that was potentially a ring bolt. I wonder if Fred knew that. That may be the one that was cut off.
>> Right. Tom always said there was one that was cut off. part of a ringbolt embedded in a boulder just east of the swamp.
>> Oh, I can feel it. Look at that.
[laughter] >> Look at that.
>> Earlier this year, the team discovered a large iron ring bolt on the massive stone road that was not only dated to as early as the 1600s, but was believed to have been used for docking a large sailing vessel at a time that the man-made swamp may have been an open harbor.
>> Look at that. And soon after they discovered evidence of another ringbolt further north on the stone pathway, suspected to have been used in transporting heavy cargo to somewhere on the island.
>> If this is just, you know, Sunday groceries coming down the road here, you don’t need ring bolts. It’s unequivocal.
We’ve got a road built to last.
This discovery was identical to several reported by the late Oak Island landowner and treasure hunter Fred Nolan, who claimed to have found three ring bolts in and around the swamp back in the 1960s.
Could this piece of iron that Gary has just found be the remains of one of the ringbolts discovered by Fred Nolan?
And if so, could it be more evidence that points to the direction the pathway is heading?
This road feature seems to be lining up with the ring bolts marked on Fred’s map. And if that is the case, my hope is this may be a step in the right direction.
What’s he got? Piece of steel drilled into the rock. What do you think, Doc?
>> It’s a question for Tom. As far back as he can remember, was this stone here or did his father put it here?
>> Well, it’s well embedded into the top soil here. So, if it was just plunked down, you wouldn’t expect this rock to be this far embedded.
have to get Tom down here.
Why don’t >> we just walk up here, Tom? I think we can go right over this way.
>> On lot 13 near the eastern border of the swamp. Rick Lagginina and members of the team are joined by fellow Oak Island landowner Tom Nolan, the son of the late Fred Nolan.
>> Take a look.
>> Wow. It should be interesting, this revelation, if you will, that this large stone next to the old apple tree uh on the Nolan property actually has the long sought after ring bolt. The point of this is to bring Tom in to look at it and have him decide once and for all, is that the ring bolt that you saw as a young boy? And I hope he’ll say yes.
>> Gee, that’s interesting. That is one of the original ringbolt rocks.
>> It is. Yep.
>> Wow.
>> Uh Dad removed the top and that’s what’s in the pictures, >> right?
>> You can see the original ring bolt was a little bit thicker. These things have taken some, you know, time and weather’s beating them down a bit, but that’s one of the original ones right there.
>> Wow. With Tom Nolan’s confirmation that they have discovered the remains of another iron ring bolt, first located some 50 years ago by his father, Fred Nolan, Rick, Marty, and the team may very well have confirmed that not only does the stone pathway feature extend further into the uplands of the island, but that it could be leading them directly to a major breakthrough discovery.
It’s just it’s to me very interesting because I can’t even imagine the amount of work the original depositor put in.
And to what end?
>> To what end?
>> To support something either high or heavy.
>> Perfect spot for it though. You know, if it is a ring pole to get you up the hill, right? You know, it would be a very logical place for it with a block of tackle, >> right? If you were tying something up around here, if this is some sort of a, you know, a loading or an unloading area, if what you’re doing here, you don’t want anybody to see, you bring it all the way in here to the center of the island. Who’s going to see you?
>> If they were digging here, they have a ready source of cobble. They could continue the road. Actually, I think the road is right over there.
>> Over there. Yeah.
>> Yeah.
>> All the cobbles.
>> Either it’s [music] a turnaround to go up here or it’s some kind of Y.
>> I think it’s very preliminary. Uh, but Dr. Spooner does advocate perhaps strongly that the orientation of the path is now leading up in this direction towards the money pit.
Now you have a ring bolt. Tom has asserted that is indeed the ring bolt that he remembers. We need something more substantial. But we also need to focus our energies in a specific area.
And there are enough clues here, small clues that tell us that this is an area worthy of investigation.
It really seems like if somebody wanted to put in a road that then would be easily hidden. Well, that’s an eye openener. That sounds like clandestine uh activity. The question is where does it go? It is a direct indicator of substantial human effort here on this island well before the money pit. Well, in order to get to a certainty, we just have to keep plugging away.
>> Yep. Well, I should get down and continue. I’ll head back down.
>> Head back down.
Great find.