His finds, including a solid-silver 1781 Spanish half-real, are documented on his website.[32]. [24] As far as theories about Oak Island go, this one is still one of the most plausible and would definitely explain all the European artifacts found on the island. [63], Another pit, similar to the early description of the "money pit", was discovered in the area in 1949 when workmen were digging a well on the shore of Mahone Bay. He is excited to discover the show's first appearance of buried gold. Quoted in Furneaux 1972, 110. Could their be more piratical discoveries to be made? [36], Although one expedition claimed to have found a flood tunnel lined with flat stones at 90 feet (27m),[6] geologist Robert Dunfield wrote that he carefully examined the walls of the re-excavated pit and was unable to locate any evidence of a tunnel. The team from The Curse of Oak Island believes they have finally found their gold. As well as an intensification of borehole drilling in the . However, these kinds of sentiments do little to slow down the Oak Island Fellowship, and they will do whatever they can in order to determine whether or not Oak Island acts as a host to errant treasure. Two years later, Nolan's ownership of the lots was confirmed, but he was ordered to pay damages for interfering with Triton's tourist business. Explorers have made claims about an elaborate drainage system extending from the ocean beaches to the pit. Theories about artifacts present on the island range from pirate treasure to Shakespearean manuscripts to the Holy Grail or the Ark of the Covenant, with the Grail and the Ark having been buried there by the Knights Templar. The difference here is that this coin has been cut into a smaller segment. Gary Drayton and Jack Begley are joined by geophysicist Mike West, who uses a metal detection device that penetrates deeper than Drayton's usual handheld metal detector, in "Depth Perception," the third episode of the sixth season of "The Curse of Oak Island.". In the following Season 6 episode, "Gold Rush," the brooch is taken to gemologist Charles Lewton-Brain who says that the gem is actually leaded glass, though a threaded technique used on the brooch dates the jewelry to the 14th century or earlier. Drayton and Barkhouse initially find a dandy button, generally found on clothing from the 1700s. In 1965, they tried to seal what was thought to be a storm drain in Smith's Cove and dug a shaft down to 27 feet (8.2m). [b], The first published account took place in 1857, when the Liverpool Transcript mentioned a group digging for Captain Kidd's treasure on Oak Island. Discovery of these fibers suggests that box drains exist. Important New Evidence Found at 170 Feet | At the H-8 dig site, the team finds evidence of the elusive Chapel vault while attempting to reposition a . [80], Another theory holds that the Rosicrucians and their reported leader, Francis Bacon, organized a secret project to make Oak Island the home of its legendary vault with ingenious means to conceal ancient manuscripts and artifacts. Whats the scoop on the mysterious buried treasure at Oak Island? Pick handles, coins, and a hinge have been found. It certainly seemed like the Lagina brothers were on the right track to uncover the legendary buried treasure of Oak Island. According to Joe Nickell, there is no treasure; the pit is a natural phenomenon, probably a sinkhole connected to limestone passages or caverns. Lewton-Brain is even able to date the silver ring to originating prior to 1730, based on various repairing techniques used to make the ring both smaller and larger at different points in time. Dont Miss Out on The Curse of Oak Island news, behind the scenes content, and more. In "Lords of the Ring," the 19th episode of the seventh season of "The Curse of Oak Island," Gary Drayton and Rick Lagina continue to search the swamp for submerged secrets and are amazed to discover a metal ring with a beautifully ornate flower design. Could this keyhole be a part of a chest similar to Captain Anderson's sea chest? Did the source of this wealth come from cabbage farming? [27] Further excavations were made in 1935 and 1936, none of which was successful.[28]. Crooker. [3] [31], In June 1996, Robert S. Young of Upper Tantallon, Nova Scotia, purchased 4 acres (1.6ha) of the island known as Lot Five from Fred Nolan. They soon find a lead ingot used for making musket balls, as well as several King George II coins also from the 1700s. [5] McGinnis, who believed that the depression was consistent with the Captain Kidd story, sought help with digging. [4][13] However, the first published account of what had taken place on the Island did not appear until October 16, 1862, when Anthony Vaughan's memories were recorded by The Transcript for posterity. I expect next season to see nothing less than the complete excavation of the whole damn island itself, with the debris pile reforming the NEW Oak Island mere feet away. Gary Drayton discovered a wrought iron hinge that is similar to the decorative hinges discovered on Fred Nolan's property. The woman then fled from London to Nova Scotia. After having it examined by antiques appraiser Dr. Lori Vanderame, it seems most likely that this circular object was actually a gold-plated button from a 17th or 18th century British military uniform. While digging near the southern border of the triangle-shaped swamp during Season 8, the Fellowship discovered this piece of wooden ships railing that dated from 660 to 770 A.D., making it the oldest artifact ever found on Oak Island to that point. First they find a part of a small horseshoe, perhaps made for a mule or a pony. His son then went down the shaft, and also lost consciousness. Center Road Developments, in conjunction with Allan Kostrzewa and Brian Urbach (members of the Michigan group), had purchased Lot 25 from David Tobias for a reported $230,000 one year before Tobias sold the rest of his share. The only thing known for certain is that there was definitely a lot of activity going on in the 1700s on Oak Island. [1] Although these items can be considered treasure in their own right, no significant main treasure site has ever been found. 1896 - Oak Island Treasure Co. returns, but new pump fails to keep water out of shafts as also happened last year. [citation needed] Young died on October 28, 2020, and the land passed to his estate. It was then decided to drill five bore holes using a pod-auger into the original shaft. The Freemasons are suspected of being descended. [citation needed] Although the Oak Island Tourism Society had hoped that the government of Canada would purchase the island, a group of American drillers did so instead. With trace amounts of gold confirmed to be on the island, further investigation might reveal a whole lot more. In January 1967, Daniel C. Blankenship, David Tobias, Robert Dunfield, and Fred Nolan formed a syndicate for exploration on Oak Island. [54], Australian-American actor Errol Flynn invested in an Oak Island treasure dig. No treasure was discovered on board which some believe is buried on Oak Island. on one corner, but apart from this there was no evidence of any inscription either cut or painted on the stone.". "[64], According to the earliest theory, the pit held a pirate treasure buried by Captain Kidd;[4][65] Kidd and Henry Avery reportedly took treasure together, and Oak Island was their community bank. These have such colorful names as "Swamp," "Hatch," "Smith's Cove," "Nolan's Cross," and "Money Pit." Could this be a coin used by the Knights Templar for banking purposes? [53] Throughout his political career, he monitored the island's recovery attempts and development. I feel so lucky to have . In the 15th episode of the fifth season, "Steel Trapped," Gary Drayton and the Lagina Brothers take their metal detecting skills to the property of former treasure hunter Fred Nolan, now maintained by his son Tom Nolan. These drains were first discovered in 1850 by the Truro Company and may have fed into one tunnel meant to fill the Money Pit with water as a booby trap. Bowdoin described the rock as "of a basalt type hard and fine-grained". In "Dead Man's Chest," the second episode of the fifth season of "The Curse of Oak Island," Gary Drayton and his metal detection team once again uncover clues to 17th century involvement on the island possibly from the military, pirates, or both. Upon landing, he came across an oak tree with unnatural markings. This means that both items were most likely made from the same pre-15th century lead deposit. Map What's Been Found on Oak Island Treasure hunters have been intrigued by the legend of Oak Island for more than 200 years. These pottery pieces and even more artifacts have been specifically found along the stone pathway the team is attempting to explore. Oak Island is in Nova Scotia, and the mystery in question is a legend that there's big treasure buried there. According to an undocumented story, Marie Antoinette instructed her maid (or a lady-in-waiting) to flee with her jewels. [56], Rear Admiral Richard E. Byrd Jr. was also a passive investor in Oak Island exploration and treasure hunting, and monitored their status. A retired geologist has taken decades of experience in the oil business to dig into the history of Nova Scotia's Oak Island. Perhaps the truth lies within, as we uncover all the treasure ever found on "The Curse of Oak Island.". The first confirmed gold found on Oak Island, this brooch dates back as early as the 14th century. Hedden made six trips to Oak Island and collected books and articles about the island. Since the 19th century, many attempts have been made by explorers from different parts of the globe to locate cryptic artifacts and treasures. Certain that they were on the right path, they continued their efforts and uncovered a coin that could be hundreds of years old. Stories of buried treasure on Oak Island, Nova Scotia, Canada, William Chappell and Gilbert Hedden (19281939), Restall family and Robert Dunfield (19591966). Not much was found. Might it have been part of a barrel that once contained a portion of the Oak Island treasure? The original pit was re-excavated to a depth of 88 feet (27m), and two more shafts were dug. Samples of human bone dating back to the 17th century were found during a dig in the Money Pit. [51] It was found that Kempton had stated in a letter dated April 1949 that he had obtained his information from "a school teacher long since dead". From the account I have read from his son that was written in the 1970s he believed the drill may have gone off course in an unknown direction. July 24, 2011 -- There are more than 700 curious tunnel networks in Bavaria, but their purpose remains a mystery. [24] Bowdoin later examined the "stone cipher" in Halifax and found it a basalt rock with no symbols. Once the brooch has been cleaned, Marty Lagina takes a moment to count the branches of the leaf. In an 1863 newspaper article, the stone was said to have been built into the "chimney of an old house near the pit". While the Lagina brothers and metal detection expert Gary Draytonhave mostly found mud, wood, and various metal tools, they along with an assortment of science and archaeological experts have made a surprising amount of valuable discoveries hidden throughout the 140 acres of the supposedly cursed Oak Island. Found during a metal detection search, this pilum was discovered on Lot 26once the home of 18th century privateer, Captain James Anderson. This decorative keyhole plate was found during a metal detection excursion on a lot owned by Tom Nolan, the son of Fred Nolan. Discovered in the swamp during the first season by the Laginas and their team, this copper coin from 1652 suggests that there was activity on Oak Island long before the 1795 discovery of the Money Pit. Among those who worked to remove the stone was Jefferson W. According to online research archive Oak Island Compendium, legend has it that the treasure will be found when seven men have died looking for it. 1911. In 1939, he informed King George VI about developments on the island. In 1983, Triton Alliance sued Frederick Nolan over the ownership of seven lots on the island and its causeway access. It then took another five years before one of the alleged original diggers gave a statement regarding the original story along with subsequent Onslow and Truro Company activities. Although Bowdoin was told that they had worn off, he was skeptical because of the stone's hardness. [30] Divers sent to the bottom of Borehole 10-X in 2016 found no artifacts. Its design suggests an ancient metalwork technique called cloisonne. While investigating the massive stone wharf feature in the swamp, Rick Lagina found pieces of a wooden cargo barrel that dated to as early as the 15th century. This page was last edited on 28 April 2023, at 16:00. One of the coins found had the year 1771 clearly printed on its surface, seemingly confirming the centuries old age of the currency. It is taken to geochemist Tobias Skowronek, who informs them that it was most likely a cloisonn decoration an ancient method of decorating jewelry using small metal strips. "While in Creighton's possession some lad had cut his initials 'J.M.' In 1965, Robert Dunfield attempted to find the legendary Oak Island treasure and dug a 100 foot wide by 140 foot deep hole in order to find it. It's likely the wood was stained a vegetable dye and may be a fragment of bookbinding that the parchment was once part of. Could this coin be a piece of a much larger buried treasure? The site consists of digs by numerous individuals and groups of people. In his book, Snow said that he received the set of symbols from Rev. Wide-ranging speculation exists about how the pit was formed and what it might contain. One can only wonder what would have happened if young Daniel McGinnis had chosen to go exploring somewhere else on that fateful day in the summer of 1795. (Formac Publishing 1995, 1997, 2002, 2009), Department of Tourism, Culture and Heritage, "This 17th-Century Conspiracy May Explain the Oak Island Money Pit", "Oak Island The Reasons for expecting there is Treasure there", "Oak Island Treasure the world's greatest treasure hunt". The group left the island in November 1909. Armed with a metal detector, the Oak Island team explored these leftover spoils and soon found a pair of English coins with King Charles II's face on one side and the years "1673" and "1694" inscribed on the other. [20] Dunfield's lease ended in August 1966. Since the beginning of the season, geologist Terry Matheson, project manager Scott Barlow, and historian Charles Barkhouse have been borehole drilling in the Money Pit area, hoping to get a hit.. Thanks to their geologist, Dr. Ian Spooner's electronic slide, they believe they have pinpointed where the gold might be buried on the island. Who went to such lengths to obtain an old Knights Templars diary, and why'o A Mafia godfather with a deadly agenda escapes from a Guatemalan prison and plots revenge on those who put him there.o A Cardinal decodes pages of ancient symbols to learn the secret of Oak Island and its enigmatic Money Pit.In 1795 three teenage boys dug in an old pit . After cleaning the coin, treasure hunter and professional diver Tony Sampson saw what appeared to be a cross design on one side. Although the group found the remains of an 1850 cofferdam, no evidence of anything else was found. No other human-made object has been recovered on Oak Island at that depth. Nobody, however, ever seriously pretended to translate the inscription."[49]. His first discovery was made near Oak Island's shoreline. This artifact was unearthed near the site of Daniel McGinnis' old home on Lot 21. Scientists Solve Mystery Of Oak Island Buried treasure was officially found on Oak Island which officially solves the 400 year old mystery. Since the 18th century, attempts have been made to find treasure and artifacts. The stone he saw had no symbols on it. Ever since the team learned of the presence of not just silver, but gold, in water. [23], In 1896, an unknown group arrived on the island with steam pumps and boring equipment. They discover a piece of metal that might just be what they've been searching for since before the show even began in 2014. A sample of this material was reportedly sent to the Smithsonian Institution during the early 20th century, where it was concluded that the material was coconut fibre. But there are plenty of people living who have seen the stone. Michigan native Kevin Dykstra is obsessed with a deathbed confession made by a lighthouse keeper in the 1890s about a national treasure dating back to the Civil War. One young boy called Daniel McGinnis found a circular depression. Do these fragments mean they are on the path to more buried treasure? Howlett, A. Freemason Dennis King examines the Masonic aspects of the Oak Island legend in his article, "The Oak Island Legend: The Masonic Angle". [2] [3] [4] As of November 20, 2022, 166 episodes of The Curse of Oak Island have aired. Curse Of Oak Island doesn't find tunnels underground On the new episode of The Curse of Oak Island, the team has found some gold. [25], Captain Henry L. Bowdoin arrived on Oak Island in August 1909 representing the Old Gold Salvage group, one of whose members was Franklin D. Roosevelt. "[41] Mitchell was the superintendent of works for the Oak Island Association, which was formed on April 3, 1861, and ceased operation by March 29, 1865. Testing showed that the shaft is made of iron mixed with manganese and could date back to the Ancient Roman Empire Century, BC-500 AD. Back in the 17th century, coins like the maravedi used to be cut to provide change, leading to the phrase "Pieces of eight" popularized by the Robert Louis Stevenson pirate novel classic "Treasure Island." The Oak Island mystery is a series of stories of buried treasure and unexplained objects found on or near Oak Island in Nova Scotia. The auger passed through a spruce platform at 98 feet (30m), then hit layers of oak, something described as "metal in pieces", another spruce layer, and clay for 7 feet (2.1m). In 1795, 16-year-old Daniel McGuiness went on a fishing expedition to Oak Island. Doyle, Lynn C. "Nova Scotia's Treasure Island". [7] Another twist on the story has all four people involved as teenagers. Dating back to 1260-1400, coconut fibers were first discovered in Smith's Cove in 1850 along with five stone box drains that were meant to booby trap the Money Pit by filling it with water. Nolan believed that treasure had been recovered in at least eleven shallow sites around Oak Island. On January 2, 1864, Historical Society of Nova Scotia secretary John Hunter-Duvar contacted treasure hunter George Cooke. [1] The program features the Oak Island mystery. In "Homecoming," the fifth episode of the sixth season of "The Curse of Oak Island," Gary Drayton, Jack Begley, and Alex Lagina return to the location where they found the gold plated brooch back in the Season 6 premiere "Rick's Big Bang Theory" to see if they can't uncover more of Oak Island's secret treasures. In 1931 the Chappell shaft was dug where the drill rig had been set up in 1897. The next mention of the stone is in an 1893 Oak Island Treasure Company prospectus. Found along the stone pathway in the swamp, Oak Island artifact conservator Sandy Campbell believes this gold-colored knob to be far from modern and possibly from a jewel chest. This seems even more likely when the Lagina Brothers retrieve a large metal hinge with drill holes in it from the same location. Throughout Season 8 Rick, Marty and their team tried to solve the 224-year-old treasure mystery of the Oak Island. He went to England to consult Harold T. Wilkins, author of Captain Kidd and His Skeleton Island, about a link he found between Oak Island and a map in Wilkins' book. In the following episode "A Legacy Revealed," antiquities expert Gabriel Vandervort takes a look at the item and discovers that it might not be a crossbow bolt at all, but rather the top part of a pilum, a type of javelin weapon used by the Romans from around the 1st century BC to the 5th century AD. [4] According to later accounts, oak platforms were discovered every 10 feet (3.0m); however, the earliest accounts simply mention "marks" of some type at these intervals. [75] Author and researcher Mark Finnan[76] elaborated on Leary's Oak Island theory, which was also used in the Norwegian book Organisten (The Seven Steps to Mercy) by Erlend Loe and Petter Amundsen and the TV series Sweet Swan of Avon. At a point where the earth was soft, "At about two feet down a layer of fieldstone was struck. But the excavated earth was left behind and became known as the Dunfield Spoils. According to an account written in 1862, after the Onslow Company had excavated to 8090 feet (2427 metres), the pit flooded with seawater up to the 33-foot (10m) level; attempts to remove the water were unsuccessful. The tree-covered island is one of several islands in Mahone Bay, and is connected to the mainland by a causeway. Not much was found. The rest of the company is owned by Blankenship. ", Later, in Season 5, Episode 12 "A Key to the Mystery," Templar expert Jerry Glover examines the cross and estimates that it might be from the 13th century. It was claimed that one of the samples brought a tiny piece of sheepskin parchment to the surface. But like so many legends tied to the. [59][60][61][62] A number of sinkholes and caves, to which the "booby traps" are attributed, exist on the mainland near the island. "Treasure Island Fabled Booty Eludes the Fortune Hunters". Buried in the ground was a small coin, what they assumed to be another 17th century Maravedi like the one found in the previous season's finale. A stunning structure uncovered in Smith's Cove perplexes the Brotherhood like never before and at the Money Pit, the team finds evidence they may have discovered the legendary box believed to contain the Oak Island Treasure - the elusive Chappel Vault. "A History of The Oak Island Enterprise". If he had, perhaps nobody else would have walked the woods on the eastern end of Oak Island for the next ten years. The treasure hunting trio soon make a trio of discoveries. Further analysis on the brooch by Dr. Christa Brosseau and her colleague Dr. Xiang Yang using an electron microscope proves that part of the brooch is made of gold. However, no treasure was ever found and eventually the large hole caved in on itself. Francis Drake . When testing the water from the Garden Shaft earlier this season, they found traces of gold in the water. There are thirteen. It was first reported in a July 2, 1862, Halifax Sun and Advisor article, which mentioned a June 2, 1862, letter by J. The Truth About The Chappell Vault On The Curse Of Oak Island. Other possible explanations include the pit being dug by Spanish sailors to hold treasure from a wrecked galleon or by British troops stationed there during the American Revolution. Brothers Marty and Rick Lagina and their team of treasure hunters have been digging around a Nova Scotian island for over eight years on the popular History Channel show "The Curse of Oak Island." [7][39] Offering a secondhand description of its discovery during the early 1800s excavation, McCully wrote: "Some [layers] were charcoal, some putty, and one at 80 feet was a stone cut square, two feet long and about a foot thick, with several characters cut on it." The pit was re-excavated back down to the 86-foot (26m) level, but ended up flooding again. The original shaft, in a location unknown today, was dug by early explorers and known as "the money pit". On this week's episode of The Curse of Oak Island, the team discovered more gold buried in the Money Pit area. This week on The Curse of Oak Island, an ancient map points the way to the fabled treasure vault and the Money Pit. [7][11] The diggers then faced a dilemma when the pit flooded with 60 feet (18m) of water for unknown reasons. Were these 18th century campers on the search for buried treasure or leaving behind treasure of their own? Atlantic Advocate. Inspired by a Reader's Digest article in the 1960s, Rick and Marty Lagina have relentlessly combed over Oak Island, which is located off of the Nova Scotia coast in Canada, for a mysterious bounty of loot supposedly hidden, left behind, and ultimately lost to time (via History).