About This Artifact
The head of a tunneling pick resembling a rock hammer, recovered by Gary Drayton and Jack Begley at Isaac's Point on the island's eastern shore. The iron head shows a pronounced stress fracture indicating it was subjected to extremely heavy use over a prolonged period.
Blacksmith and antiques expert Carmen Legge examined the pick axe head at his workshop in Centreville, Nova Scotia, and dated it to the late 1700s or early 1800s. The fracture pattern and forging style are consistent with hand-wrought tools manufactured before industrial production methods became widespread in North America.
A similar rock hammer head had previously been recovered from the spoils of Borehole RF-1 at the Money Pit during Season 7, pulled from roughly 100 feet underground alongside hand-cut timbers carved with Roman numerals. The Isaac's Point pick axe adds to a pattern of heavy-duty mining and excavation tools found across the island, suggesting organized labor predating the earliest recorded treasure-hunting expeditions.
Historical Context
Season 11, Episode 16
Where It Was Found
Found at Borehole RF-1 — the original 1795 excavation shaft on Oak Island, Nova Scotia.
