Rick, Gary, and Emma Analyze Artifacts Near the Stone Road S11E13

In The Curse of Oak Island Season 11 Episode 13, titled “Tea Time” and aired on February 6, 2024, the team gathers at the Oak Island Interpretive Centre, where Rick Lagina, Alex Lagina, Gary Drayton, archaeologist Laird Niven, and archaeometallurgist Emma Culligan examine two key artifacts: a heavily corroded coin and a small bead.

Emma uses a SKYSCAN 1273 CT scanner to non-destructively analyze the coin’s features. The scan reveals it to be a British half penny featuring the head of King George III, dating to the 1770s—several decades before the Money Pit’s discovery in 1795. This raises questions about who left it and under what circumstances.

Emma Culligan – Scientific Artifact Analysis

Emma Culligan’s X-ray scan reveals Latin inscriptions and profile details confirming the coin’s origin. Her assessment places the coin’s minting between 1760 and 1820, adding useful context to the artifact found on Lot 5.

Gary Drayton – Portuguese Trade Theory and Chinese Porcelain

In the field, Rick and Gary, alongside excavator operator Billy Gerhardt, resume swamp excavation. They recover several ornate pottery fragments—blue-glazed Chinese porcelain likely dating to the 16th or 17th century. Gary connects the style to trade goods historically carried by Portuguese fleets.

Historical records indicate that Portuguese explorers, including Vasco da Gama, transported such porcelain through established trade routes linked to the Knights Templar, some of which later extended into North America. These observations prompt further questions about whether the swamp’s stone road served as a point of arrival for traded goods.

Swamp Excavation Reveals Mixed Artifacts

The team recovers numerous pottery fragments while excavating near the end of the stone road in the swamp area. Additional finds include a teacup fragment, a variety of bowl rims, and two-tone glazed pottery—all suggesting multiple periods of activity. A notable discovery is the heel of a boot, held together with square hobnails instead of modern glue. Gary dates it to the 1800s or earlier, based on construction methods.

Rick notes the growing collection of pottery may help link cultural artifacts with physical infrastructure like the stone road or stone path. The proximity of the finds supports the hypothesis that the area was a place of prolonged or repeated human presence.

Field Roles and Collaboration

• Rick Lagina leads artifact interpretation and emphasizes connecting cultural finds to structural features.
• Gary Drayton detects and classifies artifact materials including porcelain, coinage, and leather.
• Emma Culligan provides scientific validation using CT scanning technology.
• Billy Gerhardt continues excavation operations, recovering key objects including pottery and worked wood.