This week on The Curse of Oak Island, the guys dated two artifacts from the Garden Shaft as original depositor items, and a new expert explained how the Vikings may have aided the Templar Knights in bringing treasures to the island.
The Dumas miner guys pulled up a series of old-looking beams from 100 feet below ground at the bottom of the Garden Shaft. The team had assumed these were part of a tunnel; however, they did not find a tunnel-shaped structure.
The guys speculated that the tunnel’s walls and ceiling had been previously removed, leaving only the floor. It could be disappointing if they can’t find a defined tunnel; they obviously cannot follow it to the treasure.
Now for some good news. Blacksmith Carmen Legge and archaeo-metallurgist Emma Cullingan combined their brain power and technology to examine two small iron artifacts found with the wood beams at the bottom of the Garden Shaft.
The objects were determined to be small fasteners or nails, perhaps used to make chests or hang a lantern in a tunnel. These were old; Carmen placed them between 1400 and 1700s.
Emma said the lack of manganese and high sulfur content indicated an old source of iron, meaning the objects were probably leaning toward the older side of Carmen’s date range.
This all likely means they are dealing with original depositor work in the Garden Shaft. Marty Lagina stated that if they can prove “this is original work [then] we have had a successful year.”
Dr Doug Symons informs Oak Island team that Vikings and Templars likely formed a bond
Meanwhile, Dr Doug Symons had a fascinating theory in the War Room. In recent weeks, the guys theorized that the Templar Knights and the Vikings teamed up to bring ancient Christian relics from Jerusalem to Oak Island in the 13th century.
The team believes the Templar Knights built Nolan’s Cross and two other stone monuments in the 13th century. They are also aware that Vikings established colonies in Newfoundland, 650 miles to the north, from about the 11th century.
Recent discoveries of artifacts of Scandinavian origin led the team to wonder about a collaboration between the Templars and the Vikings. Last night, Dr Symons claimed it was possible.
Symons claimed that Vikings led by King Sigurd the Crusader in the early 12th century sailed to the Holy Land, where they would have mixed with the knights that would shortly form the order of the Templars.
The academic said the two groups could have easily formed a bond leading to a collaboration that brought items such as the Holy Grail to Oak Island.
Alex Lagina quipped, “I’m running out of ways to be skeptical about the Templars,” and he’s not the only one. The evidence is mounting.
Have the Oak Island team found a loading dock in the swamp?
And in the swamp, Billy Gerhardt uncovered a new wooden wall-like structure. Dr. Ian Spooner and the others were baffled about what it could be, but it looked like someone had gone to a lot of trouble digging deep into the swamp.
Steve Guptill and Ian speculated that, because of its close proximity to the stone roadway, it may have been an unloading dock. Ian suggested that the red clay around the structure was also found under the stone roadway, which means the two features could be connected.
This was a pretty action-packed episode, but as is often the case, it posed more questions than answers.
The Curse of Oak Island airs Tuesdays at 9/8c on History.
Seriously? You’re still falling for this buffoonery? There is zero evidence that anyone deposited anything on Oak Island. You do know people lived there in the mid 18th century and before that it was owned by a fishing company. Everything they’ve found on that island can be explained without involving treasure; for which there is absolutely no evidence.
Sorry to spoil the season, but if they found anything of any value, it would have been on the news. And “academic”… what a joke. Please provide his curriculum vitae. Templars and Vikings… and bears, oh my!
Kind of odd that someone would dig tunnels 100 feet underground and booby trap them for nothing though… huh?
Flood tunnels were ruled out as a matter of Geology back in 1863. Jump ahead to the 1960’s when geologist Robert Dunfield dug up the beach at Smith’s Cove where the “finger drains” were and found they didn’t extend to the money pit area, but ended at the edge of the beach. You know it’s an island, right? You know if you dig under sea level on an island, it just might flood; especially beneath the Windsor Formation where natural pockets of waterways exist sourced from miles away in the ocean. Their own geologist could confirm all of this… but they’d rather mislead you instead.
Considering that a fishing company owned the island back in the earlier 1700’s, the finger drains were likely part of an old salt works. But if you wish to believe that “flood tunnels” have guarded a supposed treasure for hundreds of years, still intact to this day, then you are dwelling in a world of lies and fantasies. They’ve lied to you Hawk, with each and every opening of the show’s narration. The better story is the hoax and those that have fallen for it over the years. But that wouldn’t stretch out for multiple seasons of television mystery mongering.
Back past the 1900s into say the 1300s the laws were not like they are now days. You wanted to dig a hole. And bury treasure, or dig it up you just did it. The government sorta knew better not to intervien