'The Curse Of Oak Island': All the historical clues and artifacts unearthed by Lagina brothers till now
For over 200 years, researchers and treasure hunters have been struggling to decipher one of the most crippling mysteries in the Western Hemisphere: The burning riddle of Oak Island. In 1795, it was believed that three men discovered a depression in the ground beneath an old oak tree on the island, leading them to the conclusion that there’s treasure buried there. Ever since the island has been scoured and thoroughly searched. Even if no actual treasure has been found, they've found little nuggets of history tucked away on the island.
Since 2014, Rick and Marty Lagina have decided to take up the task and search the island for themselves. The show, 'The Curse Of Oak Island', is in its seventh season, and a lot has happened over the course of the show. Of all the Oak Island spots they choose to examine, the Lagina brothers pay extra attention to the 'Money Pit'.
What is the Money Pit?
Located on the east of Oak Island, the Money Pit is or was a shaft, which is more than 100 feet deep. According to the legends surrounding the island, it was discovered by a teenager, Daniel McGinnis, in 1795 (the age of the boy has been disputed several times), who noticed an indentation in the ground and started digging. With the help of some friends, their search revealed a man-made shaft featuring wooden platforms every 10 feet down to 90 feet. However, due to an expedition in the 1960s that caused clay, seawater and mud to collapse around the 'money pit', the shaft's exact location has been obscured from sight. Just like treasure hunters before them, the Lagina brothers have found numerous traps, tunnels dug into the ground at numerous depths that are designed to flood the shaft with water.
What has been found in the Money Pit?
While no actual treasure has been found, the pit carries numerous tantalizing historical clues. The brothers have found other exciting things on the island, including a lead Cross. Before the Lagina brothers, treasure hunters have found old parchment, bits of china, stones, pieces of wood and coconut fiber, which they believe was used to booby-trap the pit. Coins, gold links and stones bearing inscriptions have also been unearthed from the pit.
The 90-Foot Stone
Legend has it that according to a mid-19th century letter by treasure hunter Jotham B McCully, a mysterious stone was found in the pit in 1804, at a depth of about 90 feet. It was around two-three feet long and 12-16 inches wide. The stone was not like any other rock in the area and was Swedish granite with an olive tinge. It bore cryptic symbols, which have led to heated discussion and debate. One translation says the stone was carved with encoded symbols meant to represent English letters. According to one possible translation, it read: "FORTY FEET BELOW TWO MILLION POUNDS ARE BURIED".
Other scholars suggest that it was meant to forge a connection with the Knights Templar.
In the next episode of 'The Curse Of Oak Island', the team will unearth some evidence to show that the young men in 1795 did not stumble upon the depression near the oak tree by accident.