About This Artifact
A deliberately shaped trapezoid piece of wood recovered from the Oak Island swamp during excavation by Gary Drayton and Billy Gerhardt in Season 9. It was found alongside several other worked wood pieces, including planks that may have been oars, a large wooden pin identified as a probable fid (a tool used to splice rope on sailing ships), and assorted lumber.
Marine archaeologist Dr. Lee Spence examined the finds in the War Room and confirmed that most of the recovered wood pieces could easily be nautical in origin. While the fid was specifically identified as likely coming from a large sailing vessel, the trapezoid piece resisted definitive identification. Spence could only describe it as a shaped wooden object of unknown specific function. One possibility raised is that it may be part of a forward seat from a small rowing vessel.
Radiocarbon dating placed the trapezoid piece between 1683 and 1735 - firmly in the pre-discovery colonial period and consistent with a growing body of evidence pointing to significant activity on Oak Island decades before the Money Pit was found in 1795. A second unidentified wood piece recovered from the swamp around the same time returned a nearly identical date range of 1680 to 1740, reinforcing the pattern.
The dating aligns with Dr. Ian Spooner's analysis of the Eye of the Swamp, which indicated the swamp itself was disturbed by human activity between 1674 and 1700. The convergence of these dates across multiple independent finds strengthens the case for organized operations in the swamp during the late 17th to early 18th century.
Historical Context
Season 9, Episode 11: "A Boatload of Clues" (January 18, 2022). Wood examined by Marine Archaeologist Dr. Lee Spence. Radiocarbon dating results presented in the same episode.
Where It Was Found
Found at Triangle Swamp excavation — the triangle-shaped swamp on Oak Island's southeastern quadrant.
