About This Artifact
A broken hand-forged axe head unearthed on Lot 15 by Gary Drayton and Jack Begley during metal detection in the Season 8 premiere. The find was made near the stone walls and the structure later identified as the remains of an English pine tar kiln, dated by blacksmith expert Carmen Legge to 1550-1620.
Both Drayton and archaeologist Laird Niven assessed the axe head as dating to the early 1700s. It was presented alongside other Lot 15 finds in a War Room meeting, including a copper coin with a square hole through its centre - a colonial-era artifact that Drayton designated a top pocket find - and ox shoes later dated by Carmen Legge to 1650-1750.
Lot 15 proved to be one of the most archaeologically rich areas investigated during Season 8, yielding not only these metal-detected artifacts but also the stone structure that David MacInnes and his team excavated and identified as a tar kiln. Niven suggested the kiln may have been linked to construction of the Money Pit itself, noting that the tar fires could explain the legendary mysterious lights seen flickering on Oak Island at night.
Historical Context
Season 8, Episode 1: "Remote Control" and Episode 2: "The Boys Are Back" (November 2020). Found by Gary Drayton and Jack Begley. Assessed by Gary Drayton and archaeologist Laird Niven.
Where It Was Found
Found at Lot 15, near the stone walls and suspected tar kiln — Oak Island, Nova Scotia, Canada.
