In one of the most groundbreaking episodes to date, the Lagina brothers’ relentless pursuit of the island’s secrets may have just turned a historic corner. Episode 22, “Night After Night,” delivered compelling links between Oak Island’s legendary Money Pit and the ancient engineering of the Knights of Malta — a powerful order with ties to the Templars.
Maltese Connection: A Pickaxe, Blue Clay, and a Starburst Button
While Rick Lagina traveled to Malta, the team uncovered direct parallels between the 16th-century underground tunnels of Valletta and the Oak Island dig sites. Most notably, a pickaxe recovered from 145 feet deep in the Money Pit was identified by archaeologist Matthew Balzan as a tool historically used by Maltese knights for tunneling — a striking match.
“This pickaxe may be hundreds of years old, used by people with expert engineering knowledge,” Rick noted.
Further cementing the theory, the same bluish-gray clay used for waterproofing tunnels in Malta was matched to samples pulled from 90 feet down in the Money Pit — the same material described in early 1800s accounts of the original dig.
Artifacts on Lot 5 Add to Templar Theory
Back on Oak Island, the discovery of a starburst-patterned button, likely dating between 1650–1675, matches those worn by elite members of the Knights of Malta. Later, another ornate flower button was found in a round stone feature in Lot 5, along with 14th-century pottery and 18th-century ceramics — evidence pointing to centuries of activity by high-status Europeans.
Combined with matching mortar samples between Lot 5 and deep Money Pit strata, researchers now believe this area may have served as a staging ground for early treasure operations.
Swamp Secrets: Another Vault?
While Rick was in Malta, Marty Lagina and the team focused on the swamp. Their findings include:
-
Notched timbers buried deep — consistent with medieval European construction.
-
Evidence the swamp was artificially engineered, with stone roads possibly dating to 1200 AD.
-
Theories emerge that the swamp may have served as a landing site, workshop, or decoy.
“This isn’t just a natural feature. It was designed — for a purpose,” said Marty.
A Legacy of Protection?
The Knights of Malta, descendants of the persecuted Templars, were expert builders and guardians of sacred relics. Some historians theorize they transported treasures like the Ark of the Covenant or Holy Grail across the Atlantic. The presence of Isaac Razilly, a known knight who settled Nova Scotia in the 1630s, bolsters claims of early European operations on the island.
Looking Ahead to Season 13
With winter closing in, the team is racing against time, prioritizing two key efforts:
-
Excavation of suspected vaults beneath the swamp
-
Deep drilling into the Money Pit with SB Canada’s advanced equipment
Meanwhile, historical researchers are scouring Maltese archives for direct references to Nova Scotia.
Could the ultimate discovery rewrite history?
Could Oak Island be the final resting place of Templar treasures?
Only time — and excavation — will tell.
