Templars, Tunnels, and the Devil’s Bloodline: Oak Island’s Greatest Clues Yet Uncovered in Malta
Episode 23 of The Curse of Oak Island Season 12 may have brought the team closer than ever to solving the 230-year-old mystery—with symbols, secret tunnels, and a Templar bloodline pointing to a centuries-old conspiracy.
A Treasure Trail Across Continents
The latest episode of The Curse of Oak Island (Season 12, Episode 23) delivers one of the most compelling investigations in the series to date, linking the legendary Oak Island treasure to a network of clues stretching from the medieval prisons of Malta to the swampy shores of Nova Scotia.
Rick Lagina and part of the fellowship traveled to Gozo, Malta, to explore a 16th-century citadel believed to have ties to the Knights Templar and their successors, the Knights of Malta. Within the walls of an ancient prison, they uncovered mysterious carvings—including the rare “four-dot cross,” a symbol that has also appeared on Oak Island’s HO stone, discovered in 1921.
“This symbol is thought to represent the presence of holy relics,” explained one researcher, connecting the dots between the enigmatic markings found on both sides of the Atlantic.
Templar Engineering and Oak Island’s Flood Tunnels
While investigating subterranean tunnels beneath Valletta, the capital of Malta, the team discovered a sophisticated 16th-century hydraulic system engineered by the Knights of Malta. These water-control tunnels closely resemble the infamous flood tunnel systems on Oak Island, long believed to be a trap guarding a buried vault in the Money Pit.
Even more intriguing, the blue clay sealing methods used by the Knights in Malta mirror the materials—blue clay and coconut fiber—historically found in Oak Island’s underground layers.
Bloodlines and Buried Secrets: The Devil’s Family
Perhaps the most explosive revelation came from researcher Corin Mole, who traced a direct bloodline from the Templars to Nova Scotia via a shadowy figure known as Gerard de Villiers. This Templar leader allegedly fled France in 1307 with 18 ships carrying treasure after the order was outlawed. Mole’s research suggests a descendant of this family, Isaac Dazzali—a Knight of Malta—arrived in Nova Scotia in 1632, just 15 miles from Oak Island.
“This is a multigenerational, multi-depositional story,” Rick Lagina said, suggesting the treasure may have been hidden in stages by several groups over centuries.
Ancient Symbols and 17th-Century Relics on Oak Island
Back on the island, the team resumed excavation work guided by Frederick Blair’s 19th-century treasure map, which pinpointed three massive boulders as potential markers. Beneath one, they unearthed a hand-forged iron fastener and a timber—clear signs of historic human activity. Nearby, they discovered a man-made stone ring and an ox shoe, both suggesting deliberate construction.
In the Oak Island lab, a delicate 17th-century floral button recovered near Lot 5 drew special attention. CT scans revealed exquisite craftsmanship, and its starburst pattern eerily matched floral motifs found carved into the prison walls in Malta. “This button reminds me of something we saw in Malta,” said Alex Lagina, reinforcing the transatlantic connection.
Symbols of the Past: A Coded Message?
Inside the Maltese prison, the team also documented carvings of six-petal flowers, dotted circles, and geometric shapes—symbols that resemble those on Oak Island’s fabled 90-foot stone. According to researcher Steve Guptill, these may be coded messages left by imprisoned Templar knights, preserving sacred knowledge meant to be passed on.
Could these markings be treasure maps in disguise? And were they recreated on Oak Island to guard something monumental?
The Next Step: The Deepest Dig Yet
As the team prepares to launch their deepest-ever excavation—over 200 feet into the Money Pit, targeting a natural void known as the “solution channel”—all clues point to one final descent that could rewrite history.
Historical records claim the elusive Chapel Vault, possibly containing Templar treasure or ancient manuscripts, collapsed into this channel during a failed dig in 1897. If it still exists, the next episode could reveal what lies at the very heart of Oak Island.
A Mystery on the Brink of Revelation
Symbols, tunnels, and a bloodline tied to one of history’s most secretive orders—each discovery adds a new piece to Oak Island’s centuries-old puzzle. From the engineered catacombs of Malta to the buried markers of Nova Scotia, the evidence is mounting that this is more than folklore. It’s a historical detective story that may soon reach its climax.
As Rick and Marty Lagina prepare to dig deeper than ever before, the world waits. Will they finally uncover the treasure? Or will Oak Island guard its secrets a little longer?
