I have heard about some people have found a roman sword. I would love to talk with someone who has experience with discoveries like this. I have found some things and would like to find the best way to get them authenticated.

Hey Angie,,    There has been quite a lot happening at Oak Island the past few years. On the History Channel there has been produced a program called, “The Curse of Oak Islland”. The showq has its own web-site. And there are a number of Facebook groups discussing the show and its developments and discoveries. I belong to a couple of them myself. I suggest you do a seach on the Facebook page and on Google. Rich and Marty Lagina have been persuing a quest that began for them in 1965, when they first read an article in Reader’s Digest about the Mystery of Oak Island.  Canada has had them employ a licensed archeologist they have to constantky consult with for permission to build, dig and excavate. Quite a number of incredible finds have been made. The show’s employed a metal detection expert who’s found numerous artifacts, including a Templar cross, dating from the 14th century, or earlier. I predict you’ll have a lot of fun watching episodes from the series’ various seasons. They’re in the midst of their 7th season. Here, in Pittsburgh, the show is on Tuesday nights on the History Channel. Enjoy.Namaste….<<<Carmon Elliott

I have been watching Oak Island for 8 years since 2013.  I investigated how to reach Rick and Marty Lagina. Several years ago              I emailed the Oak Island Team (Rick and Marty Lagina) and suggested that what they really need …..to help the Team is to hire          “an archaeologist”.   I informed Rick, Marty, and the Team that having a professional archaeologist would prove to be beneficial           for the Oak Island Project. 

Back on March 3, 2020 there was a meeting in the War Room with James McQuistan (Historian).   He mentioned that the Knights Baronets of New Nova Scotia (from Scotland) had connections to the Knights Templar.  Knights Baronets are the links to Freemasonry intertwined with Masonic symbols (“G”, “All-Seeing Eye”, and triangles).  Sir William Alexander (Freemason) had “a two-fold” mission:  1) To establish safe refuge for the Templars, and 2) To add valuables to the vault.  Sir William Alexander  had connections  to James McLean, and also, the McGinnis Family.  [It was back in 2015 Season 3 that Daniel McGinnis had a beautiful gold cross which was passed down through the family.]   Daniel McGinnis, Mike and John Smith had an agenda:  they saw lights, investigated and saw depression in the soil, and so they started digging.  The Alexander, McGinnis, and McLean families have connections to the Knights Templar and Freemasonry!

On March 3, 2020 (Season 7, Episode 15) that Laird Niven , (with Permit in hand) shows up for further investigation of the home of Daniel McGinnis.  Laird conducted an archaeological dig in the hidden basement within 3 foot sections.  He concluded that the McGinnis foundation was considered “a high-activity area”.  Laird received an “expanded” permit which was needed to excavate the foundation on McGinnis’ Lot.  There was a “trap door” leading to the basement and was quite deep.   Artifact found was bone-handled knife with an elaborate design.  It was dated back to ca. 1750-1790.

On March 24th, there was a large-scale dig at the Money Pit conducted by Laird Niven, Dr. Ian Spooner, and Spooner’s friend Aaron Taylor (fellow archaeologist).  They concluded it was “a man-made” structure.  At Lot #25 (of Samuel Ball), there was a stone wall located beneath the property, which was 6 feet long  and/or 6 feet wide, and the need to extend the grid to the East.  Laird needed       to file for “new” permit to excavate on Ball’s property, to see if Samuel Ball found something relating to treasure and the Money Pit. 

On April 7th, from the spoils from the Borehole 8-A, a metal hand-forged “hinge” was found.  Laird concluded the “tiny” part of the strap hinge was an iron hinge – a piece from a treasure chest and was found when the Money Pit collapsed in 1861.  On April 21, (with Rick Lagina, Charles Barkhouse, Jack  Begley, and Gary Drayton), Laird Niven provided GPS scientific data from the archaeological excavation on Lot #25 on the anomalies from the 2 test pits.   The first test pit revealed the hinge from the chest. The second test pit     6 feet down, the GPS revealed an “open cavity” (anomaly) , an open cavity with stacked stones which indicated that the anomaly was either a tunnel or vault.  The ancient tools found   (dated over 600 years old)) contributed to the structure of a tunnel.  The stone     “man-made” tunnel was 14 ½ long.

Laird Niven has contributed immensely to the Oak Island Team and the Oak Island Project.  If it wasn’t for my suggestion to Rick and Marty Lagina and the Oak Island Team, it would not have been made possible to have Laird as a part of the Oak Island Team.  He has contributed invaluable insight from the perspective of an archaeologist.

Submitted by:    Valerie A. Thomas

                                                                                              Valerie Ann Thomas

                                                                                          Archaeology Experience

Historic Archaeologist                                                                                                                                                      1982

Dover Historical Society, Dover, MA

Excavation:  Wilson Farm (site of 18th century farm)

Labelled, catalogued, and reconstructed ceramic wares.  Drew soil stratigraphy and supervised assistants.  Important find of German Westerwald Stoneware fragments to date this site.  Display of artifacts in travelling exhibit “Unearthing New England’s Past, 1984-1986”.

                                                                                                  Special Projects

Archivist, Intern                                                                                                                                                                 1986

Peabody Museum of Archaeology & ethnology, Harvard University, Cambridge, MA

The Museum houses one of the nation’s largest, earliest, and most significant collections in the North American Indian Material Collection dating from the Paleo-Indian through the Spanish Conquest.  Remainder of 20,000 prints need to be catalogued on an item-level basis.  Grant proposal submitted to the National Science Foundation January 1986 to build museum-wide documentation system which will link artifact and photograph records from the departments of Collections, Conservation, Exhibition, Publication, and Photo Archives.

              *      Examined inconsistencies of subject access for portion of un-catalogued photos.
              *      Recommended standardization of terminology, keywords, and subject terms.
              *      Wrote descriptions for photos based upon my knowledge/experience in prehistoric archaeology that were unidentifiable                            by their standards.
              *      Wrote report Photographic Archives of the North American Ethnology Collection at the Archives of the Harvard University                        Peabody Museum of Archaeology and Ethnology.

Archaeology Consultant                                                                                                                                     1983-1987

North River Archaeological Chapter, MASSACHUSETTS ARCHAEOLOGICAL SOCIETY, Norwell, MA   

Excavation:  Sunnyside, Hull (site of 18th century farm)

Recording Secretary, Survey & Planning, Collections Research and Educational Liaison

North River Archaeological Project received funding from 1984 Grant (National Science Foundation) for work on the North River Project.  NRP headquarters located at South Shore Natural Science Center, under the direction of Faith Burbank.  Grant was written by Curtis Hoffman and Mary K. Johnson.  The North River Archaeological Project was affiliated with Bridgewater State College, Harvard University, U-Mass (Boston and Amherst campuses), Brown University, Narragansett Museum, Robbins Museum, as well as Brona Simon, Valerie Talmadge, and Dina Dincauze from Massachusetts Archaeological Society, and the Massachusetts Historic Commission.  Local government, businesses and school systems from seven towns contributed donations towards the North River Project.

                     * Educated students from local schools at elementary, junior high, and high school levels in the pre-history of the North                                River.

                     * Catalogued and preserved archaeology collections from excavation sites in seven towns:

                        Norwell, Hanover, Scituate, Hanover, Pembroke, Halifax, and Hanson documenting the pre-history of the North River.                              Followed rules and regulations in cataloging established by National Science Foundation. 

                     * Catalogued archaeological artifacts using lab sheets designed for computer input based upon Massachusetts Historic                             Commission’s rules and regulations.  This data was then entered in  Excel spreadsheets by Project Director Curtis                                   Hoffman.

Prehistoric/Historic Archaeology Supervisor

Supervised children and adults in Archaeology Field School Training Program at Chappa Challa, Duxbury, MA, in all facets of archaeology:  field excavation, lab work procedures, and analysis/reconstruction methods.  Produced video at Chappa Challa on historic archaeology.

Internships:

Assistant Archaeologist

Field School in Historic Archaeology, OLD STURBRIDGE VILLAGE, Sturbridge, MA

Excavation:  Phoenixville, CT (site of 19th century textile community)

Located, identified, and reconstructed pottery and textile equipment, soil coring in chronological dating, and developed top plans. Received Certificate in Field School in Historic Archaeology.

                                                                    Exhibits/Presentations/Publications/Affiliations

Exhibits:

“Piecing Together the Past:  Sunnyside, Hull                                                                                        1985

South Shore Natural Science Center, Norwell, MA                                                                                               

Exhibit brochure.

“Unearthing New England’s Past:  The Ceramic Evidence, Jan, 29, 1984-Jan 13, 1986”       1984

MUSEUM of Our National Heritage, Lexington, MA                                                                          

Exhibit catalog and brochure.  Dover Historical Society collaborated with Jane Nylander and Barbara Franco for the installation of exhibit.

Awards:

Golden Videotape Award from National Science Foundation, March 23, 1985

First Documentary Film in Archaeology:  North River Archaeological Project: “People Present/People Past”.  This ½ hour documentary film was shown on PBS, national television, and local cable station (Scituate, MA) in all school systems in all 50 states to educate the public of the pre-history of the North River.  First collaboration of about twenty multi-disciplines in archaeology and prehistoric archaeology.

Classes:

Instructor, “Stones and Bones”                                                                                                                                 1985

North River Archaeological chapter , Massachusetts Archaeological Society, Norwell, MA. 

Taught class to children at South Shore Natural Science Center, Norwell, MA

Created curriculum for class.

Instructor, “Beneath Our Feet”                                                                                                                                  1985

North River Archaeological chapter , Massachusetts Archaeological Society, Norwell, MA. 

Taught class to children at South Shore Natural Science Center, Norwell, MA

Created curriculum for class.

Workshops:

Instructor, “Historic Typology Class”                                                                                                                      1986

North River Archaeological chaptER , Massachusetts Archaeological Society, Norwell, MA. 

Taught class to children at South Shore Natural Science Center, Norwell, MA

Created curriculum for class.

Publications:

Archaeological discovery of German Westerwald Stoneware from Wilson Farm Site, in Dover, MA

illustrated in “The China Students’ Club:  Fifty Years of Ceramic Study” by  Diana Edward Roussel, Antiques (August 1984)

Archaeological discovery of German Westerwald Stoneware from Wilson Farm Site, in Dover, MA

illustrated in “Unearthing New England’s Past:  The Ceramic Evidence” by Barbara Franco and Susan J. Montgomery, Archaeology, Vol. 37, No. 3, May/June 1984 (Boston, MA:  Archaeological Institute of America.

Affiliations:

Massachusetts Archaeological Society (MAS)