The Oak Island Test Lab (Beta)

Wood chips from 193 feet in Becker Hole 24

Dating 375 ± 85 BP Calibrated c. 1575 CE (1490–1660)

Lab Geochron Laboratories, Inc.
Analyst Harold W. Krueger

Brass foil from Becker Hole 21 at 187 feet

Finding Typical brass, Cu–Zn alloy, dezincified

Lab W. M. Williams (Montreal)
Analyst W. M. Williams, Ph.D.

Oak peg from Smith's Cove timber structure

Dating 1090 ± 140 BP Calibrated c. 860 CE (720–1000)

Lab Geochron Laboratories, Inc.
Analyst Harold W. Krueger

Smith's Cove inclined beam from timber structure, October 1969

Dating 815 ± 110 BP (c. 1135 CE) Calibrated 815±110 BP

Lab Geochron Laboratories, Inc.
Analyst Harold W. Krueger

Charcoal in decayed vegetation, Smith's Cove

Dating 2040 ± 58 BP Calibrated c. 90 BC (148–32 BC)

Lab Brock University Radiocarbon Lab
Analyst Jan Terasmae

Wood from WH BH 9 at 198 to 206 feet, directly south of Chappell shaft

Dating 104 ± 124 BP (c. 1846 CE) Calibrated 104±124 BP

Lab Brock University Radiocarbon Lab
Analyst Jan Terasmae

Wood from Golder BH 103 in Hedden shaft at 144 feet, May 1970

Dating 174 ± 85 BP (c. 1776 CE) Calibrated 174±85 BP

Lab Brock University Radiocarbon Lab
Analyst Jan Terasmae

Wood from Golder BH 202, 3 feet west of 10X at 125 feet, June 1970

Dating Approximately 25,000 BP (estimated) Calibrated ~25,000 BP

Lab Brock University Radiocarbon Lab
Analyst Jan Terasmae

Log sill from probable north arm of Smith's Cove structure, September 1970

Dating 305 ± 115 BP (c. 1645 CE) Calibrated 305±115 BP

Lab Brock University Radiocarbon Lab
Analyst Jan Terasmae

Inclined timber from probable north arm of Smith's Cove structure, September 1970

Dating 380 ± 150 BP (c. 1570 CE) Calibrated 380±150 BP

Lab Brock University Radiocarbon Lab
Analyst Jan Terasmae

Oak peg from probable north arm of Smith's Cove structure, September 1970

Dating 274 ± 159 BP (c. 1676 CE) Calibrated 274±159 BP

Lab Brock University Radiocarbon Lab
Analyst Jan Terasmae

Decayed vegetation around charcoal at Smith's Cove, October 1970

Dating 1660 ± 82 BP (c. 290 CE) Calibrated 1660±82 BP

Lab Brock University Radiocarbon Lab
Analyst Jan Terasmae

19.5-inch-wide plank, species identification

Species Eastern hemlock

Lab Brock University Department of Geological Sciences
Analyst Jan Terasmae

Log structure, wood box, and metal rule from Smith's Cove

Examination Conservation examination — wood, box, and inscribed metal rule

Lab Fortress of Louisbourg National Historic Site

Metal rule — engraving and corrosion analysis

Finding Dove estimated age "before 1783" Calibrated Before 1783 (estimate)

Lab Steel Company of Canada (Stelco), Wire and Fastener Division
Analyst A. B. Dove

Wood from 167 feet in 27-inch hole at 10X, species identification

Species Spruce

Lab Forest Products Laboratory, Ottawa

Cement from 10X recovered above 165 feet in 1971

Material Cement material analysis

Lab Canada Cement Lafarge Ltd.

Wood slat #1, Triton Alliance Oak Island Project

Dating 1670 ± 70 BP Calibrated c. 280 CE (210–350)

Lab Brock University Radiocarbon Lab
Analyst Howard Melville

Wooden stake #2, Triton Alliance Oak Island Project

Dating 1700 ± 80 BP Calibrated c. 250 CE (170–250)

Lab Brock University Radiocarbon Lab
Analyst Howard Melville

Coconut fibre recovered at Smith's Cove, summer 1990

Dating 770 ± 60 BP Calibrated c. 1180 CE (1120–1240)

Lab Beta Analytic Inc., University Branch, Miami
Analyst Dr. J. J. Stipp

Wood from the side of Fred Nolan's newly discovered shaft

Dating 150 ± 50 BP Calibrated Modern (1800–1955)

Lab Beta Analytic Inc., Miami
Analyst Dr. M. A. Tamers

Coconut fibre from museum sample recovered 20 years earlier

Dating 820 ± 70 BP (c. 1130 CE) Calibrated 820±70 BP

Lab Beta Analytic Inc., Miami

Coconut fibre recovered at Smith's Cove in the presence of WHOI personnel

Dating 1140 ± 30 BP Calibrated c. 810 CE (780–840)

Lab Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution, NOSAMS

Peat from 10 feet below MSL in Beach Pit 8, opposite the swamp

Dating 2340 ± 35 BP Calibrated c. 390 BC (425–355 BC)

Lab Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution, NOSAMS

Seaweed at Smith's Cove (modern control)

Dating Modern

Lab Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution, NOSAMS

Wood from 165 feet in 10X (probably recovered in 1971)

Dating 120 ± 35 BP (c. 1830 CE) Calibrated 120±35 BP

Lab Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution, NOSAMS

Wood from 10X (probably recovered in 1971)

Dating 75 ± 30 BP (c. 1875 CE) Calibrated 75±30 BP

Lab Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution, NOSAMS

Peat from 8 feet below MSL in Beach Pit 2, opposite swamp

Dating 1940 ± 40 BP (c. 10 CE) Calibrated 1940±40 BP

Lab Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution, NOSAMS

Multibeam bathymetric survey around Oak Island

Survey Full-coverage seafloor map of Mahone Bay near Oak Island

Lab Bedford Institute of Oceanography

Hardwood tree stump recovered from swamp by diver Tony Sampson

Dating 1450–1640 CE Calibrated 1450–1640

Lab Beta Analytic Inc.

Coconut fibre from Smith's Cove — SEM analysis

Composition Confirmed as genuine coconut fibre at 650x magnification

Lab Saint Mary's University
Analyst Tanya Koslowski

Timbers from the U-shaped wooden structure at Smith's Cove

Earliest year Earliest ring-matched year: 1769 Calibrated 1769

Lab University of Saskatchewan (MAD Lab)
Analyst Dr. Colin Laroque

Smith's Cove U-shaped structure wood, 2016 excavation season

Dating 1472–1650 CE (95% probability) Calibrated 1472–1650

Lab Beta Analytic Inc.

Lead cross recovered at Smith's Cove by Gary Drayton

Provenance Cévennes / Montagne Noire, Southern France

Lab Deutsches Bergbau-Museum Bochum
Analyst Dr. Tobias Skowronek

Two human bone fragments recovered from borehole H-8 at 162 feet

Dating Both individuals placed in the 1600s

Lab Beta Analytic Inc.

Wood sample from T-1 shaft, Money Pit area

Dating Dates to 1500s or 1600s Calibrated 1500s–1600s

Lab Beta Analytic Inc.

Two human bone fragments from borehole H-8 at 162 feet — DNA sequencing

DNA One Western European origin, one Middle Eastern descent

Lab Saint Mary's University
Analyst Dr. Timothy Frasier

Axe-cut wood from borehole FG-12 at 106 feet, Money Pit area

Dating 1626–1680 CE Calibrated 1626–1680

Lab Beta Analytic Inc.

Lead artifact from Lot 21

Provenance Same Cévennes / Montagne Noire signature as the lead cross

Lab Deutsches Bergbau-Museum Bochum
Analyst Dr. Tobias Skowronek

Lead artifact — laser ablation isotope analysis

Provenance Italian, French, or Spanish — Western Mediterranean Calibrated Western Mediterranean

Lab University of New Brunswick, Laser Ablation Lab
Analyst Dr. Chris McFarlane and Brandon Boucher

Object suspected to be silver — XRF analysis

Composition Impure lead, not silver

Lab Saint Mary's University
Analyst Dr. Christa Brosseau

Charcoal from circular stone mound

Dating 1320–1440 CE Calibrated 1320–1440

Smith's Cove "bump-out" structure timbers

Earliest year As early as 1741 CE Calibrated 1741

Lab University of Saskatchewan, MAD Lab
Analyst Dr. Colin Laroque

Core samples from OC-1 target area

Soil Elevated lead and mercury concentrations at base of samples

Lab Acadia University
Analyst Dr. Ian Spooner

Wood from newly discovered tunnel

Dating As early as 1648 CE Calibrated As early as 1648

Multiple wood samples from swamp finds (stakes, possible ship parts)

Dating 1516–1674 CE (multiple samples) Calibrated 1516–1674

Two metal samples — portable XRF

Composition Gold at 700 ppm on both samples Calibrated 700 ppm Au

Wood recovered from deep probe

Dating 224–376 CE (3rd to 4th century) Calibrated 224–376 CE

Charcoal from Lot 26 well

Dating 1028–1172 CE (11th to 12th century) Calibrated 1028–1172

Half-cut lead object from Lot 5, possibly Roman

Provenance European origin Calibrated European

Lab University of New Brunswick, Laser Ablation Lab
Analyst Dr. Chris McFarlane and Brandon Boucher

Wood from newly discovered shaft

Dating 1474–1638 CE Calibrated 1474–1638

Lead artifact isotope comparison

Provenance Isotope ratios closely match the lead cross

RF1 wood samples 0328 and 013 — strontium and oxygen isotope ratios

Isotope Plot farthest from Canadian reference samples

Lab W. M. Keck Foundation Laboratory (via Aaron Satkoski)
Analyst Aaron Satkoski

Stake samples from stone path, southeast corner of swamp

Dating 17th century

Ship's railing recovered from swamp in 2020

Dating As early as 7th century Calibrated 7th century

Green-and-blue glazed pottery recovered from Lot 26 rock wall

Material Matches ceramics dated 500+ years old Calibrated 500+ years

Re-test of samples with additional cleaning methods

Dating 13th-century data points confirmed on retest Calibrated 13th century

Lab Beta Analytic Inc.

Soil samples around Lot 8 boulder

Soil Lead at 140 ppm at boulder versus 12 ppm elsewhere Calibrated 140 ppm Pb

Lab Acadia University
Analyst Dr. Ian Spooner