About This Artifact
A fragment of metal unearthed by Gary Drayton on Lot 4, in an area marked on Zena Halpern's map as "The Hole under the Hatch." Dr. Christa Brosseau of Saint Mary's University in Halifax analysed the piece and identified it as bell metal, a copper alloy historically used in the manufacture of cannons and bells. Brosseau noted that the composition was consistent with cannon material, possibly of Portuguese origin.
The find was later referenced in Season 10 when a similar piece of bell metal was discovered on Lot 8. The artifact adds to a growing body of evidence suggesting Portuguese activity on Oak Island, alongside volcanic stone shot traced to the Azores, a stone road with Portuguese construction characteristics, and a hand cannon fragment found in the western swamp.
Historical Context
Dr. Christa Brosseau, Saint Mary's University, Halifax; History Channel interactive artifact map
Where It Was Found
Found at Lot 4 — Oak Island, Nova Scotia, Canada.
