Medieval Hand Cannon and Ancient Roads Unearthed on Oak Island – Templar Ties Deepen

As winter looms over Nova Scotia’s enigmatic Oak Island, the Lagina brothers and their Fellowship of the Dig refuse to yield in their quest to unravel a 230-year-old mystery. In Episode 5 of The Curse of Oak Island Season 13, aired last Tuesday, the team blended cutting-edge science with historical speculation, unearthing clues that challenge conventional timelines and hint at pre-Columbian European activity. From deep drilling disappointments in the Money Pit to explosive swamp finds and symbolic stone structures on Lot 5, the installment delivered a potent mix of archaeology, emotion, and expanding theories—potentially linking the island to Knights Templar lore, Portuguese explorers, or even medieval engineers.

Money Pit Drilling: A Deep Dive into Disappointment and Data

The episode thrust viewers back into the infamous Money Pit, where Rick and Marty Lagina oversaw the drilling of borehole G4.5, plunging over 200 feet in search of the elusive “solution channel”—a theorized natural void where collapsed treasure vaults from the 1795 discovery might have settled. Historical accounts of repeated collapses fuel the belief that artifacts or riches could lie in this muddy cavern.

Early core samples dashed hopes, revealing dense rock and compacted soil instead of loose, watery muck. No metals, coins, or man-made objects emerged, leading to a candid admission of disappointment from Rick: “The absence of artifacts stings.” Yet, Marty emphasized the silver lining—the data reinforces the channel’s existence and shape. “We simply haven’t intersected the right pocket yet,” he noted. This measured setback, amid years of ups and downs, underscores the team’s resilience, with geology hinting that a breakthrough could be mere inches away.

Swamp Revelations: Medieval Hand Cannon Confirmed as Potential Tool

Shifting to the triangle-shaped swamp—long dismissed as a natural barrier but increasingly seen as a hub of ancient activity—the team analyzed a fragment from last episode, suspected to be a hand cannon, one of history’s earliest firearms dating to the 12th-13th centuries.

In the Oak Island Lab, metallurgist Emma Culligan and archaeologist Laird Niven examined the artifact. Key revelations: Its iron composition suggests 1700s or older origins, with low impurities indicating early European forging. CT scans confirmed a “touch hole,” a hallmark of medieval hand cannons. Maltese historian Matthew Balzan dated it potentially to 1200-1500, predating Nova Scotia’s European colonization.

Balzan’s twist? Such weapons were repurposed as rock-breaking tools using gunpowder—possibly for constructing nearby stone features like the 800-year-old paved area. “How did such a weapon end up in the Oak Island swamp?” pondered the team, speculating Templar-linked groups or Portuguese explorers. The find bolsters theories of pre-Columbian visitors engineering the island for secretive purposes.

Ancient Infrastructure: Corduroy Road Suggests Heavy Transport

Metal detection expert Gary Drayton and excavator Billy Gerhardt probed the western swamp for companions to the hand cannon, uncovering a game-changer: a potential corduroy road. These log-laid paths, perpendicular to travel for marshy terrain, trace back to medieval Europe for hauling heavy loads—like treasure.

Observations included bark-peeled logs, squared stones, and clay layers, with coal matching samples from a Portuguese-style road on the swamp’s opposite side. Drayton unearthed an iron buckle (possibly from a chest strap) and a small iron needle in the clay—both ancient and deliberate.

If confirmed, this road implies intentional transport into the swamp, predating local settlement. “The swamp was not a natural boundary, but a working area,” Rick Lagina reflected, suggesting it as part of a larger pre-colonial infrastructure for moving crates or chests.

Lot 5 Mysteries: Stone Feature Echoes Templar Geometry

On Lot 5, already a hotspot for Roman coins and ancient artifacts, the team excavated a circular stone feature. Removing rubble revealed hand-cut stones akin to Portuguese walls on Lot 26, with charcoal dating nearby activity to 1474.

Notable: A central split stone propped upright, an east-west orientation aligning with Templar and Masonic traditions, and a 6-foot (72-inch) diameter—evoking the Templar “Rule of 72” and Nolan’s Cross geometry. “Could this be another Templar influence marker?” speculated the archaeologists, dismissing it as random farming debris. The deliberate design hints at a symbolic entrance or node in the island’s enigmatic layout.

Brothers’ Bond: Emotional Depth Amid the Dig

Amid the science, a poignant scene unfolded at Smith’s Cove: Marty found Rick reflecting post-drilling letdown. Rick confessed hoping for “a sliver of a coin” but expressed gratitude for their partnership and the privilege of the pursuit. “The real treasure might be hidden in plain sight,” he mused, highlighting the human heart of the hunt—perseverance, camaraderie, and legacy.

A Multi-Layered History: Interdisciplinary Insights and Rising Stakes

Episode 5 showcased the investigation’s evolution: from shovels to metallurgy, geology, and international expertise via specialists like Culligan, Dr. Ian Spooner, and Balzan. Discoveries point to intentional human activity across centuries—Roman coins, medieval cannons, 15th-century crosses—suggesting Oak Island as a timeline of arrivals, not a single event.

With the season halfway through, pressure mounts against weather and regulations. Focus decisions loom: deeper Money Pit probes or expanded swamp/Lot 5 digs? As theories multiply, the island’s complexity resists simplicity, promising more revelations.