About This Artifact
A hand-forged iron hook recovered by Marty Lagina and metal detection expert Gary Drayton from inside a stone well on Lot 5, located a few yards from the large round feature. Gary initially considered the object a possible pintle, noting that similar pintles had been found near the boulder on Lot 8 and on Lot 15, both possibly predating 1795. After cleaning and analysis in the Oak Island lab, archaeologist Laird Niven and materials analyst Emma Culligan identified it as a driven hook rather than a pintle, likely used to lower a bucket into the well.
Emma''s XRF analysis revealed clean iron with minimal impurities but elevated chromium and copper content. The composition points to a continental European origin rather than British, which distinguishes it from the majority of iron artifacts recovered on the island. No modern alloying elements are present, and the absence of potassium in its base metal led Emma to date the hook most likely to the mid-1700s, predating the 1795 discovery of the Money Pit.
The find carries broader implications for Lot 5. The well's late former owner Robert Young had classified it as a 20th century structure. However, the hook's pre-1795 dating suggests the well may be considerably older.
Historical Context
Most likely mid-1700s (Emma Culligan XRF analysis)
Where It Was Found
Found at The well nearside the stone feature on Lot 5 — Oak Island, Nova Scotia, Canada.
