About This Artifact
A fragment of a hand-forged wrought iron ruler or framing square, discovered near the buried log structures at Smith's Cove. The numbers and calibrations were engraved by hand and are in English measure, indicating it was made by or for an English-speaking craftsman. Research scientists at STELCO (the Steel Company of Canada) examined the artifact and estimated it was manufactured prior to 1783 - placing it at least twelve years before the discovery of the Money Pit in 1795.The artifact was photographed and documented by Robert Dunfield II, whose father Robert Dunfield conducted major excavation operations on Oak Island in the 1960s.Historical Context:
A framing square is a precision construction tool used for measuring and marking right angles in woodworking and structural building. Its presence near the Smith's Cove log structures is significant because it points to organized, skilled construction activity at the cove well before the first known treasure hunters arrived on the island.
The hand-forged construction and hand-engraved calibrations indicate pre-industrial manufacture. The use of English measure rather than French metric narrows the origin to a British or colonial English-speaking context. This is consistent with the 18th-century British colonial presence in Nova Scotia, though it does not rule out an earlier English origin.
Smith's Cove is the site where an elaborate artificial drainage system was discovered, including fan-shaped box drains constructed from wooden planks, a U-shaped structure, and large quantities of coconut fibre - some of which has been carbon-dated to the medieval period. The ruler fragment adds to the evidence that the cove was the site of a major, engineered construction project requiring precision tools and skilled labour.
Historical Context
Historical finds
Where It Was Found
Found at Smith's Cove area — the north shore of Oak Island where the flood tunnel system was discovered.
