1 00:00:02,208 --> 00:00:03,750 MATTY: Was it an American navy captain 2 00:00:03,917 --> 00:00:07,417 who stole a vast treasure during the Revolutionary War? 3 00:00:07,583 --> 00:00:09,458 I have Captain James Anderson's sea chest. 4 00:00:10,417 --> 00:00:12,333 -Wow. -MATTY: A pioneering band 5 00:00:12,500 --> 00:00:16,167 of Freemasons with sacred riches of medieval origins? 6 00:00:16,333 --> 00:00:18,958 The Knights Baronet might be responsible 7 00:00:19,125 --> 00:00:21,708 for a treasure buried on Oak Island. 8 00:00:21,875 --> 00:00:24,000 MATTY: Or perhaps a famous explorer 9 00:00:24,208 --> 00:00:26,833 who had a priceless ulterior agenda. 10 00:00:27,042 --> 00:00:29,292 Oh. What do you think this is? 11 00:00:29,458 --> 00:00:31,542 RICK: What is book binding material doing in the Money Pit? 12 00:00:31,708 --> 00:00:33,667 Do you think it's Shakespeare's manuscripts? 13 00:00:34,833 --> 00:00:36,667 ♪ ♪ 14 00:00:52,167 --> 00:00:53,958 ALAN BUTLER: It's time to connect the dots 15 00:00:54,083 --> 00:00:56,750 to Oak Island. 16 00:00:56,917 --> 00:00:59,000 Basically, I've connected the dots. 17 00:01:00,708 --> 00:01:04,417 MATTY: Ever since the deep shaft known as the Money Pit 18 00:01:04,583 --> 00:01:07,333 was discovered in 1795 on Oak Island, 19 00:01:07,500 --> 00:01:09,917 thousands of discoveries have been made, 20 00:01:10,083 --> 00:01:12,833 suggesting someone went to a lot of trouble 21 00:01:13,000 --> 00:01:15,333 to hide a vast cache of treasure. 22 00:01:15,500 --> 00:01:18,292 These include believed tunnels 23 00:01:18,417 --> 00:01:21,083 found approximately 100 feet underground, 24 00:01:21,208 --> 00:01:23,750 stone roads and pathways 25 00:01:23,875 --> 00:01:26,083 hidden beneath a brackish swamp, 26 00:01:26,250 --> 00:01:29,583 religious artifacts and megalithic structures 27 00:01:29,792 --> 00:01:32,167 that date back more than five centuries, 28 00:01:32,292 --> 00:01:36,333 and even high-trace evidence of silver and gold. 29 00:01:36,542 --> 00:01:39,083 It's left brothers Rick and Marty Lagina 30 00:01:39,250 --> 00:01:43,083 and their team contemplating six ultimate questions: 31 00:01:43,250 --> 00:01:47,750 Who, what, when, where, why and how? 32 00:01:48,708 --> 00:01:51,917 And it's also led to many researchers 33 00:01:52,042 --> 00:01:55,458 coming forward to declare that they have the answers. 34 00:01:57,333 --> 00:01:59,583 It is true there's been a vault's worth of theories 35 00:01:59,708 --> 00:02:01,958 brought forth that have all been supported 36 00:02:02,167 --> 00:02:04,500 by finds made right here on the island. 37 00:02:04,667 --> 00:02:07,208 So, until a treasure is actually found 38 00:02:07,375 --> 00:02:09,167 that might help explain everything, 39 00:02:09,333 --> 00:02:11,500 the most logical theories would point 40 00:02:11,667 --> 00:02:14,000 to whoever was known to be in the area 41 00:02:14,167 --> 00:02:17,125 at the time prior to the discovery of the Money Pit, 42 00:02:17,208 --> 00:02:20,583 and who had something very valuable to hide. 43 00:02:20,750 --> 00:02:24,250 That brings us to the first entry in our countdown. 44 00:02:25,458 --> 00:02:28,625 Number ten: the Knights Baronet theory. 45 00:02:29,708 --> 00:02:32,750 JAMES: So, the Knights Baronet are connected 46 00:02:32,875 --> 00:02:34,375 to the Knights Templar, 47 00:02:34,542 --> 00:02:36,667 and that connection goes right through Nova Scotia. 48 00:02:36,792 --> 00:02:39,375 And it might be responsible 49 00:02:39,542 --> 00:02:41,250 for a treasure buried on Oak Island. 50 00:02:41,417 --> 00:02:43,167 MATTY: In recent years, 51 00:02:43,333 --> 00:02:45,333 James McQuiston, an author 52 00:02:45,500 --> 00:02:48,333 and fellow of the Society of Antiquaries of Scotland, 53 00:02:48,458 --> 00:02:50,792 has made several presentations to Rick, 54 00:02:50,958 --> 00:02:53,958 Marty, Craig and the team about his top suspects: 55 00:02:54,125 --> 00:02:55,708 the Knights Baronet. 56 00:02:55,875 --> 00:02:58,458 Established in Scotland by a nobleman, 57 00:02:58,667 --> 00:03:02,167 Sir William Alexander, in 1625, 58 00:03:02,333 --> 00:03:06,000 this organization of the first documented Freemasons 59 00:03:06,208 --> 00:03:08,167 established the colony in North America 60 00:03:08,375 --> 00:03:10,625 that came to be known as Nova Scotia, 61 00:03:10,792 --> 00:03:13,042 or "New Scotland." 62 00:03:13,208 --> 00:03:15,667 That was the ultimate plan. 63 00:03:15,792 --> 00:03:19,583 And if you look at the overall list of the Knights Baronet, 64 00:03:19,750 --> 00:03:22,000 25% of them had some kind of connection 65 00:03:22,208 --> 00:03:23,417 back to the Knights Templar. 66 00:03:25,167 --> 00:03:27,250 They may have had Templar wealth in their families 67 00:03:27,417 --> 00:03:29,333 because when they were, uh, dissolved, 68 00:03:29,458 --> 00:03:30,917 where's all that stuff going to go? 69 00:03:32,542 --> 00:03:35,083 MATTY: Over the years, many have speculated 70 00:03:35,250 --> 00:03:37,167 that a vast treasure connected to 71 00:03:37,333 --> 00:03:39,542 the medieval order of the Knights Templar, 72 00:03:39,750 --> 00:03:42,500 which included holy relics such as the Ark of the Covenant 73 00:03:42,708 --> 00:03:44,417 and the Holy Grail, 74 00:03:44,625 --> 00:03:47,458 were transported from Europe centuries ago 75 00:03:47,583 --> 00:03:51,500 and hidden in the ingeniously constructed Money Pit. 76 00:03:51,667 --> 00:03:53,375 During a subsequent presentation... 77 00:03:53,542 --> 00:03:55,250 MARTY: Hey, James. 78 00:03:55,458 --> 00:03:57,875 MATTY: ...James spoke on why the Knights Baronet 79 00:03:58,042 --> 00:03:59,667 may have been the depositors. 80 00:03:59,833 --> 00:04:01,708 So, here's the theory in a nutshell. 81 00:04:01,875 --> 00:04:05,083 Unfortunately, the French attacked Nova Scotia, 82 00:04:05,292 --> 00:04:08,625 leaving the Scots ousted in the spring of 1632, 83 00:04:08,750 --> 00:04:11,250 and I believe they took shelter in Mahone Bay, 84 00:04:11,417 --> 00:04:13,292 and Oak Island is at the back of it. 85 00:04:13,417 --> 00:04:15,833 So, it would be the perfect place to hide back there 86 00:04:16,042 --> 00:04:17,792 and bury what they couldn't take back with them 87 00:04:17,958 --> 00:04:20,292 or didn't want to take back with them. 88 00:04:20,458 --> 00:04:22,667 MATTY: Based on his thorough research, 89 00:04:22,833 --> 00:04:25,208 James believes he's not only figured out 90 00:04:25,375 --> 00:04:26,833 who was behind the mystery 91 00:04:26,958 --> 00:04:30,125 but also why nearly every team of searchers 92 00:04:30,292 --> 00:04:32,750 over the past two centuries 93 00:04:32,875 --> 00:04:35,708 has included high-ranking members of Freemasonry, 94 00:04:35,833 --> 00:04:39,833 including Franklin Delano Roosevelt in 1911. 95 00:04:41,000 --> 00:04:43,667 But is there actual evidence? 96 00:04:44,667 --> 00:04:47,792 Peter, if you can impart to them what your perceptions were 97 00:04:47,958 --> 00:04:49,083 -about the wall. -Sure. 98 00:04:49,250 --> 00:04:51,708 Just the way that the outside rocks 99 00:04:51,917 --> 00:04:55,708 are sort of structured to-to lean in on a wall, 100 00:04:55,917 --> 00:04:59,167 which is a classic way of holding a rubble wall together. 101 00:04:59,333 --> 00:05:01,167 MATTY: In 2022, 102 00:05:01,292 --> 00:05:04,333 the team investigated a stone wall on Lot 26 103 00:05:04,542 --> 00:05:08,292 that struck them all as oddly constructed. 104 00:05:08,417 --> 00:05:10,292 This included archaeologist Laird Niven, 105 00:05:10,500 --> 00:05:12,708 who found charcoal within it 106 00:05:12,875 --> 00:05:15,958 that was carbon-dated to as early as the 17th century. 107 00:05:16,125 --> 00:05:20,542 And when forestry technician Peter Romkey examined it, 108 00:05:20,667 --> 00:05:22,792 he believed he recognized the technique. 109 00:05:22,958 --> 00:05:25,167 PETER ROMKEY: It was almost like it had a foundation of small rocks. 110 00:05:25,333 --> 00:05:26,708 -Mm. -And that would be, uh, 111 00:05:26,875 --> 00:05:30,500 very similar to, uh, castles and large structures 112 00:05:30,583 --> 00:05:32,458 that were built in England and Scotland. 113 00:05:32,542 --> 00:05:35,625 MATTY: The potentially Scottish-designed wall 114 00:05:35,750 --> 00:05:38,542 on Lot 26 is only one of many discoveries 115 00:05:38,708 --> 00:05:41,333 made by the team dating to the 1600s. 116 00:05:41,500 --> 00:05:43,167 GARY: Rick, check this out. 117 00:05:43,333 --> 00:05:44,833 What have you got, Gary? 118 00:05:45,042 --> 00:05:46,667 MATTY: But, in 2020, 119 00:05:46,833 --> 00:05:49,250 while investigating the possibly man-made swamp... 120 00:05:49,375 --> 00:05:50,625 IAN: It's one piece of wood. 121 00:05:50,792 --> 00:05:52,542 MATTY: ...they unearthed what could be 122 00:05:52,708 --> 00:05:54,833 a smoking gun for the Knights Baronet. 123 00:05:54,958 --> 00:05:57,500 -RICK: Check this out. -Hey, guys. What have you got? 124 00:05:57,667 --> 00:05:58,958 GARY: We're hoping you can tell us. 125 00:05:59,125 --> 00:06:00,333 Oh, God. 126 00:06:00,500 --> 00:06:02,542 -Wow. -IAN: It's got to be a tool. 127 00:06:02,708 --> 00:06:04,583 AARON: Yeah, I was going to say, like something for 128 00:06:04,708 --> 00:06:07,500 -architectural or... -GARY: Yeah. 129 00:06:07,667 --> 00:06:09,375 -Yeah, like a little carpenter's square. -Yeah. 130 00:06:09,542 --> 00:06:11,708 MATTY: It was a wooden T-square 131 00:06:11,875 --> 00:06:14,625 used for masonry, and, incredibly, 132 00:06:14,792 --> 00:06:17,792 it was scientifically dated to 1632, 133 00:06:17,958 --> 00:06:21,792 the exact year that James McQuiston believes 134 00:06:21,958 --> 00:06:24,250 the Knights Baronet buried Templar treasures 135 00:06:24,417 --> 00:06:25,958 in the Money Pit. 136 00:06:27,417 --> 00:06:29,333 Finding a tool that may have been used 137 00:06:29,542 --> 00:06:31,792 to help construct the Money Pit is compelling. 138 00:06:31,917 --> 00:06:34,792 But how about finding an official military record 139 00:06:34,917 --> 00:06:37,250 potentially describing its construction? 140 00:06:37,417 --> 00:06:41,042 That brings us to the next top theory on our list. 141 00:06:42,333 --> 00:06:45,500 Number nine: the Duc d'Anville theory. 142 00:06:45,625 --> 00:06:47,625 I found eight pages of a ship... 143 00:06:47,750 --> 00:06:49,333 what looks like a ship's log. 144 00:06:49,500 --> 00:06:52,250 What's really interesting is 145 00:06:52,417 --> 00:06:54,542 it appears to be a ship's log that indicates 146 00:06:54,708 --> 00:06:57,625 that they were here in advance of the French fleet 147 00:06:57,750 --> 00:06:59,875 that was coming over in 1746. 148 00:07:00,042 --> 00:07:03,042 MATTY: In 2017, team historian Doug Crowell 149 00:07:03,208 --> 00:07:07,292 dug a partial transcript out of provincial archives 150 00:07:07,458 --> 00:07:10,083 detailing a secret French naval mission 151 00:07:10,250 --> 00:07:12,750 to hide valuables in Nova Scotia 152 00:07:12,917 --> 00:07:16,708 as they battled Great Britain for control of the territory. 153 00:07:16,875 --> 00:07:21,167 The effort was led by Jean Baptiste de La Rochefoucauld, 154 00:07:21,333 --> 00:07:23,292 also known as the Duc d'Anville, 155 00:07:23,500 --> 00:07:25,792 an admiral whose family had believed ties 156 00:07:25,958 --> 00:07:28,125 to the Knights Templar dating back 157 00:07:28,333 --> 00:07:30,875 to the 12th-century Crusades. 158 00:07:31,083 --> 00:07:33,000 DOUG: And if you go through these eight pages, 159 00:07:33,125 --> 00:07:34,500 they're actually talking about 160 00:07:34,708 --> 00:07:36,292 the vast amount of treasure they have on board. 161 00:07:36,458 --> 00:07:37,833 They're worried about losing it 162 00:07:38,042 --> 00:07:39,458 because, basically, they're in enemy territory. 163 00:07:39,625 --> 00:07:41,875 So, this transcription I've handed out to you, 164 00:07:42,042 --> 00:07:43,958 I'm just going to read through it really quickly here. 165 00:07:44,083 --> 00:07:46,250 So, on September 6, the ship's log was: 166 00:07:46,375 --> 00:07:48,958 "At midday, we reach a deep bay 167 00:07:49,125 --> 00:07:53,000 "with several hundred small islands, wooded to the shore. 168 00:07:53,208 --> 00:07:55,792 "The great quantity of treasure on this vessel 169 00:07:55,958 --> 00:07:58,250 "makes it unwise to jeopardize it 170 00:07:58,417 --> 00:08:00,167 "in any engagement with the enemy. 171 00:08:01,542 --> 00:08:04,375 "September 8: It has been agreed that a deep pit be dug 172 00:08:04,542 --> 00:08:06,333 "and treasure securely buried. 173 00:08:06,500 --> 00:08:08,292 "The pit to have a secret entrance 174 00:08:08,417 --> 00:08:10,333 by a tunnel from the shore." 175 00:08:10,500 --> 00:08:13,000 On September 13: "Down 67 feet. 176 00:08:13,208 --> 00:08:15,792 "Pit seems damp from seepage of seawater. 177 00:08:16,000 --> 00:08:19,375 Have decided to go deeper to dry soil." 178 00:08:19,542 --> 00:08:21,083 RICK: And it ends. 179 00:08:21,208 --> 00:08:22,625 And that's where it ends. 180 00:08:22,750 --> 00:08:24,792 CRAIG: But it is amazing. I mean, a great quantity 181 00:08:25,000 --> 00:08:28,667 of treasure, and that they appear to be in this bay. 182 00:08:28,833 --> 00:08:30,500 In my mind, there's no doubt that 183 00:08:30,625 --> 00:08:32,083 they're pointing right to Oak Island. 184 00:08:35,042 --> 00:08:38,292 MATTY: Is it possible that the Duc d'Anville's men 185 00:08:38,417 --> 00:08:41,208 dug the Money Pit in 1746 186 00:08:41,375 --> 00:08:43,833 and buried a vault of treasures 187 00:08:44,000 --> 00:08:46,667 that may include priceless Templar relics? 188 00:08:46,833 --> 00:08:49,917 Well, in addition to numerous artifacts 189 00:08:50,083 --> 00:08:51,833 that date to that very time period, 190 00:08:52,000 --> 00:08:55,792 they've also found 18th-century structures across the island, 191 00:08:55,958 --> 00:08:58,625 such as the so-called Garden Shaft, 192 00:08:58,792 --> 00:09:00,792 an 82-foot-deep feature 193 00:09:01,000 --> 00:09:04,042 containing high-trace evidence of gold. 194 00:09:08,875 --> 00:09:10,583 We're drilling down on the top ten treasure theories 195 00:09:10,750 --> 00:09:12,500 that Rick, Marty and their team have heard 196 00:09:12,667 --> 00:09:16,000 in their quest to solve the 228-year-old mystery. 197 00:09:16,125 --> 00:09:18,167 And while many revolve around groups 198 00:09:18,375 --> 00:09:20,333 who visited the island centuries ago, 199 00:09:20,500 --> 00:09:22,292 the next one on our list 200 00:09:22,458 --> 00:09:25,625 involves someone who actually lived here. 201 00:09:27,042 --> 00:09:30,875 Number eight: the Captain James Anderson theory. 202 00:09:31,042 --> 00:09:33,958 STEVE A.: I can show you guys more things. 203 00:09:34,125 --> 00:09:35,917 I have Captain James Anderson's sea chest. 204 00:09:36,083 --> 00:09:37,833 -Wow. -Sea chest? Like a treasure chest? 205 00:09:38,042 --> 00:09:40,167 Yeah. Just like a treasure chest. 206 00:09:40,333 --> 00:09:43,875 -We would love to see that. -MATTY: In 2017, members of 207 00:09:44,083 --> 00:09:46,417 the fellowship traveled to Wolfville, Nova Scotia 208 00:09:46,583 --> 00:09:48,917 to visit Steve Atkinson, 209 00:09:49,083 --> 00:09:52,125 a descendant of the 18th-century privateer 210 00:09:52,292 --> 00:09:53,667 Captain James Anderson. 211 00:09:53,875 --> 00:09:55,167 -He was quite a character. -Yeah. 212 00:09:55,333 --> 00:09:57,333 That's a very good way to describe him, yeah. 213 00:09:57,500 --> 00:10:00,333 MATTY: Believed to have been from Baltimore, Maryland, 214 00:10:00,500 --> 00:10:01,958 Captain James Anderson 215 00:10:02,125 --> 00:10:04,292 was a Freemason who made a living 216 00:10:04,458 --> 00:10:06,667 as a pirate and privateer 217 00:10:06,875 --> 00:10:09,833 before becoming a naval captain for the United States 218 00:10:10,000 --> 00:10:13,500 during the American Revolution in the late 1700s. 219 00:10:13,708 --> 00:10:17,625 However, after being given command of a ship 220 00:10:17,750 --> 00:10:20,542 loaded with valuables, he fled to British territory 221 00:10:20,667 --> 00:10:23,375 in Canada, where he purchased 222 00:10:23,542 --> 00:10:25,250 Lot 26 on Oak Island 223 00:10:25,417 --> 00:10:29,458 and resided there until 1788. 224 00:10:29,583 --> 00:10:31,250 Is this it here? 225 00:10:31,375 --> 00:10:32,667 STEVE A.: That's the baby. 226 00:10:32,875 --> 00:10:34,333 -PETER: Wow. -ALEX: Holy crap. 227 00:10:34,417 --> 00:10:36,125 -Look at that thing. -Here you go. 228 00:10:36,208 --> 00:10:38,333 MATTY: As to what became of the valuables 229 00:10:38,542 --> 00:10:40,292 that Captain Anderson looted, 230 00:10:40,417 --> 00:10:44,083 Steve Atkinson offered a relatively inspired guess. 231 00:10:46,333 --> 00:10:48,000 CHARLES: Wow. 232 00:10:48,167 --> 00:10:50,500 STEVE A.: Now, all those keys he has in his hand... 233 00:10:50,667 --> 00:10:52,000 -Can I see them for a sec? -ALEX: Sure. 234 00:10:52,208 --> 00:10:54,375 STEVE A.: That one opens that treasure chest. 235 00:10:54,542 --> 00:10:55,833 Maybe some other ones, could be... 236 00:10:56,042 --> 00:10:58,000 ALEX: I couldn't help noticing there are four keys. 237 00:10:58,208 --> 00:10:59,667 STEVE A.: Could there have been more treasure chests on the island? 238 00:10:59,875 --> 00:11:01,667 That's what I wonder. 239 00:11:01,833 --> 00:11:03,458 MATTY: Is it possible 240 00:11:03,583 --> 00:11:05,667 that Steve is correct and there might be 241 00:11:05,792 --> 00:11:08,500 three more chests full of treasure on Oak Island, 242 00:11:08,583 --> 00:11:11,625 care of Captain James Anderson? 243 00:11:11,750 --> 00:11:15,208 Well, it just so happens that on Lot 26, 244 00:11:15,375 --> 00:11:18,500 where the mysterious stone wall is located, 245 00:11:18,667 --> 00:11:20,833 there is also a stone well, 246 00:11:21,000 --> 00:11:23,000 a well where the team detected 247 00:11:23,125 --> 00:11:27,208 high-trace evidence of silver in 2022. 248 00:11:27,375 --> 00:11:29,875 MARTY: The Captain Anderson investigation 249 00:11:30,042 --> 00:11:32,708 is interesting because it shows, once again, 250 00:11:32,875 --> 00:11:35,792 the colorful history on this bloody little island. 251 00:11:35,958 --> 00:11:37,583 If Oak Island tells you anything, 252 00:11:37,708 --> 00:11:39,542 this island is all about 253 00:11:39,708 --> 00:11:41,333 the what-ifs and the possibilities. 254 00:11:41,500 --> 00:11:43,000 You have to follow every lead. 255 00:11:43,208 --> 00:11:45,792 Whether or not Captain James Anderson 256 00:11:45,958 --> 00:11:49,000 is connected to that silver detected in Lot 26 257 00:11:49,167 --> 00:11:51,958 remains a mystery, at least for now. 258 00:11:52,083 --> 00:11:54,958 But the individual at the center of our next top theory 259 00:11:55,125 --> 00:11:57,000 might not only explain that silver hit 260 00:11:57,167 --> 00:11:59,500 but also that Gerhardt dump truck load 261 00:11:59,708 --> 00:12:02,208 that might be buried in the Money Pit. 262 00:12:03,292 --> 00:12:08,083 Number seven: the Sir William Phips theory. 263 00:12:09,125 --> 00:12:11,333 CLARKE: I've found, I believe, significant information 264 00:12:11,542 --> 00:12:12,833 that really strengthens, uh, the idea 265 00:12:13,042 --> 00:12:14,917 of there being silver in this area. 266 00:12:15,042 --> 00:12:16,875 -Interesting. -MATTY: In 2021, 267 00:12:17,042 --> 00:12:20,833 Scott Clarke, a 32nd-degree Freemason, 268 00:12:21,042 --> 00:12:23,000 presented his startling research 269 00:12:23,208 --> 00:12:25,750 along with a very plausible theory. 270 00:12:25,875 --> 00:12:27,667 Many people are actually familiar with William Phips's 271 00:12:27,792 --> 00:12:30,833 discovery of the Concepcíon back in 1687. 272 00:12:31,042 --> 00:12:33,458 We know that Phips found silver on the Concepcíon. 273 00:12:33,542 --> 00:12:35,625 And I believe some of the treasure 274 00:12:35,750 --> 00:12:38,167 from the Concepcíon was secreted to Oak Island. 275 00:12:38,333 --> 00:12:39,375 Very interesting. 276 00:12:39,542 --> 00:12:41,125 There's no question about that. 277 00:12:41,292 --> 00:12:43,958 MATTY: In 1641, 278 00:12:44,125 --> 00:12:47,000 the Nuestra Señora de la Pura y Limpia Concepcíon, 279 00:12:47,167 --> 00:12:50,000 a 600-ton Spanish galleon 280 00:12:50,083 --> 00:12:54,750 that was loaded with more than 100 tons of silver, 281 00:12:54,917 --> 00:12:57,250 sank in a massive hurricane off the northern coast 282 00:12:57,375 --> 00:12:59,750 of the modern-day Dominican Republic. 283 00:12:59,875 --> 00:13:02,667 It remained lost for more than 40 years 284 00:13:02,833 --> 00:13:05,500 until Captain William Phips, 285 00:13:05,625 --> 00:13:09,542 a British politician from the Massachusetts Bay Colony, 286 00:13:09,708 --> 00:13:13,000 found the wreck in January of 1687 287 00:13:13,167 --> 00:13:15,167 during a salvage mission that was financed 288 00:13:15,333 --> 00:13:17,458 by the English crown. 289 00:13:17,625 --> 00:13:19,375 Utilizing indigenous free divers, 290 00:13:19,542 --> 00:13:24,292 Phips made an unprecedented recovery of silver artifacts. 291 00:13:25,708 --> 00:13:27,167 CLARKE: When it was brought back to England, 292 00:13:27,292 --> 00:13:29,250 the treasure was weighed in at over 34 tons 293 00:13:29,417 --> 00:13:32,000 and valued at about 205,000 pounds, 294 00:13:32,125 --> 00:13:35,167 which would be 50 million U.S. dollars in today's currency. 295 00:13:36,875 --> 00:13:38,667 -That is remarkable. -ALEX: Yeah. 296 00:13:38,833 --> 00:13:40,708 CLARKE: Phips was knighted by King James 297 00:13:40,875 --> 00:13:42,708 and treated as a hero in London. It was very big news. 298 00:13:42,875 --> 00:13:45,083 Wow. So, he was pretty important. 299 00:13:45,292 --> 00:13:47,125 CLARKE: Yeah. And this is about the time 300 00:13:47,292 --> 00:13:49,000 when Captain Andrew Belcher comes into the picture. 301 00:13:49,167 --> 00:13:50,625 He was to become the assistant 302 00:13:50,708 --> 00:13:53,500 of the newly knighted Sir William Phips. 303 00:13:53,625 --> 00:13:55,833 MATTY: Captain Andrew Belcher 304 00:13:56,042 --> 00:13:57,875 was a well-known merchant and freemason 305 00:13:58,042 --> 00:14:00,167 from Cambridge, Massachusetts. 306 00:14:00,333 --> 00:14:03,417 And, according to Scott Clarke's research, 307 00:14:03,583 --> 00:14:07,083 Belcher became a close aide to Sir William Phips 308 00:14:07,250 --> 00:14:09,375 during his second mission to salvage 309 00:14:09,542 --> 00:14:12,292 the rest of the Concepcíon's sunken riches. 310 00:14:13,875 --> 00:14:15,292 CLARKE: So, in September 1687, 311 00:14:15,500 --> 00:14:17,417 Phips returned to the wreck of the Concepcíon. 312 00:14:17,583 --> 00:14:19,875 And during the second expedition of the treasure, 313 00:14:20,042 --> 00:14:21,958 Phips brought back to England 314 00:14:22,125 --> 00:14:23,875 what was only valued at 10,000 pounds. 315 00:14:24,042 --> 00:14:26,542 He literally found 1/20 of what he found the first time. 316 00:14:26,667 --> 00:14:28,708 DOUG: He came back with less than expected, right? 317 00:14:28,875 --> 00:14:30,667 -CLARKE: Much less. Yeah. Yeah. -Yeah. 318 00:14:30,833 --> 00:14:33,375 CLARKE: I basically found a 1688 letter 319 00:14:33,500 --> 00:14:35,833 that shows that Captain Andrew Belcher 320 00:14:36,042 --> 00:14:38,000 was caught with one of Phips's ships 321 00:14:38,167 --> 00:14:39,750 in the Mahone Bay area 322 00:14:39,917 --> 00:14:41,500 at the exact time that Phips was coming back 323 00:14:41,708 --> 00:14:43,333 from the second attempt, 324 00:14:43,542 --> 00:14:45,167 where he allegedly, officially, did not find as much silver. 325 00:14:45,333 --> 00:14:48,000 The letter also states that they burnt a ship 326 00:14:48,125 --> 00:14:49,875 at Port L'Hebert, 327 00:14:50,042 --> 00:14:52,042 which is very close to Oak Island. 328 00:14:52,208 --> 00:14:54,667 I strongly believe that Belcher and his comrades 329 00:14:54,833 --> 00:14:56,625 were actually transferring treasure from the Concepcíon 330 00:14:56,792 --> 00:14:58,208 to be taken to Nova Scotia. 331 00:15:00,917 --> 00:15:04,542 MATTY: But could Scott Clarke's Sir William Phips theory 332 00:15:04,708 --> 00:15:08,167 explain the discovery that geoscientist Ian Spooner 333 00:15:08,375 --> 00:15:11,833 and his colleague Dr. Matt Lukeman made 334 00:15:12,042 --> 00:15:14,167 by testing water in the Money Pit area 335 00:15:14,333 --> 00:15:16,250 back in 2020? 336 00:15:16,375 --> 00:15:19,792 IAN: So, I've got one question to ask. 337 00:15:19,958 --> 00:15:22,667 Do you think there's treasure in the Money Pit? 338 00:15:22,875 --> 00:15:24,333 Oh, I like that lead-in. 339 00:15:24,500 --> 00:15:25,667 (laughter) 340 00:15:25,875 --> 00:15:27,500 No, you know, I'm serious. 341 00:15:28,792 --> 00:15:30,167 -Do I? -IAN: Yeah. 342 00:15:30,333 --> 00:15:31,500 Small chance. 343 00:15:31,708 --> 00:15:33,167 I-I do. I absolutely do. 344 00:15:33,292 --> 00:15:34,167 Right. 345 00:15:34,333 --> 00:15:36,208 So, Doug, can you bring, uh, 346 00:15:36,375 --> 00:15:38,667 -bring up the presentation? -DOUG: I can. 347 00:15:38,833 --> 00:15:40,583 IAN: Great. 348 00:15:43,208 --> 00:15:46,292 That image shows the wells. There were 12 of them. 349 00:15:47,500 --> 00:15:50,167 We took the samples, and what Matt did 350 00:15:50,375 --> 00:15:53,333 was take the initiative to scan it through the whole spectrum, 351 00:15:53,542 --> 00:15:55,708 and that's when some interesting things came up. 352 00:15:55,875 --> 00:15:57,000 Really? 353 00:15:58,375 --> 00:16:00,708 IAN: At the end of the day, there is 354 00:16:00,875 --> 00:16:02,958 every reason to believe, 355 00:16:03,125 --> 00:16:05,625 down in those holes that there is 356 00:16:05,792 --> 00:16:07,667 something close by 357 00:16:07,792 --> 00:16:10,208 that contains a fair bit of silver. 358 00:16:10,375 --> 00:16:12,375 DOUG: I guess I'm still trying to get a mental picture 359 00:16:12,542 --> 00:16:14,792 of how much silver it would take to give these levels. 360 00:16:14,917 --> 00:16:16,167 Like, is it a handful of silver, 361 00:16:16,375 --> 00:16:18,833 or is it a Gerhardt dump truck load of silver? 362 00:16:18,958 --> 00:16:20,833 -It's a Gerhardt dump truck. -MARTY: Oh, baby. 363 00:16:21,042 --> 00:16:22,667 JACK: Oh, no way. 364 00:16:22,833 --> 00:16:24,333 (laughter) 365 00:16:28,208 --> 00:16:29,500 So far, we've covered several theories 366 00:16:29,625 --> 00:16:30,833 about the Oak Island Mystery 367 00:16:31,000 --> 00:16:32,500 involving people and events 368 00:16:32,667 --> 00:16:34,000 from documented history. 369 00:16:34,125 --> 00:16:36,958 And while they are all compelling and plausible, 370 00:16:37,167 --> 00:16:39,042 the next top theory on our countdown 371 00:16:39,208 --> 00:16:42,375 is, without a doubt, rock solid. 372 00:16:43,583 --> 00:16:48,292 Number six: Alex Lagina's H+O Stone theory. 373 00:16:49,208 --> 00:16:50,833 ALEX: Let's go. 374 00:16:50,958 --> 00:16:53,167 MATTY: In 2022, Rick Lagina, 375 00:16:53,333 --> 00:16:56,042 along with his nephews Alex and Peter, 376 00:16:56,208 --> 00:16:58,833 and Oak Island historian Doug Crowell 377 00:16:59,042 --> 00:17:01,500 visited several ancient sites in Italy 378 00:17:01,625 --> 00:17:04,417 that served as strongholds for the Knights Templar 379 00:17:04,583 --> 00:17:07,667 between the 12th and 14th centuries. 380 00:17:07,833 --> 00:17:09,292 During the trip, 381 00:17:09,458 --> 00:17:11,333 researcher Emiliano Sacchetti 382 00:17:11,542 --> 00:17:14,917 showed them numerous caves and medieval churches 383 00:17:15,083 --> 00:17:17,583 containing carved symbols that have also 384 00:17:17,750 --> 00:17:21,417 been found over the years on Oak Island. 385 00:17:21,542 --> 00:17:23,458 -Rick. -RICK: Hmm? 386 00:17:23,625 --> 00:17:25,375 Right here. 387 00:17:25,542 --> 00:17:28,125 MATTY: And at the church of Santa Maria Nuova 388 00:17:28,292 --> 00:17:31,500 in the city of Viterbo... 389 00:17:31,708 --> 00:17:34,583 Hmm. H-I-C. 390 00:17:34,792 --> 00:17:37,500 Which in Latin means "here." 391 00:17:38,500 --> 00:17:40,792 MATTY: ...Alex noticed something 392 00:17:40,958 --> 00:17:42,292 that sparked an incredible theory 393 00:17:42,500 --> 00:17:45,000 about one of the most intriguing carvings 394 00:17:45,125 --> 00:17:46,833 ever discovered on Oak Island: 395 00:17:46,917 --> 00:17:48,708 the H+O Stone. 396 00:17:49,875 --> 00:17:52,333 In the 1920s, a massive boulder 397 00:17:52,500 --> 00:17:54,958 was observed on the island's northern shore 398 00:17:55,125 --> 00:17:58,125 featuring a number of strange symbols. 399 00:17:59,708 --> 00:18:02,333 Believing that it was a marker for buried treasure, 400 00:18:02,458 --> 00:18:05,000 searchers blew it up with dynamite 401 00:18:05,208 --> 00:18:07,000 so they could dig beneath it. 402 00:18:07,125 --> 00:18:09,583 Unfortunately, nothing was found, 403 00:18:09,708 --> 00:18:11,750 but a large fragment of the boulder 404 00:18:11,958 --> 00:18:14,667 that came to be known as the H+O Stone 405 00:18:14,833 --> 00:18:18,167 has tantalized treasure hunters ever since 406 00:18:18,333 --> 00:18:21,792 as to what the symbols could possibly mean. 407 00:18:23,708 --> 00:18:27,708 So, in the church, we saw this. 408 00:18:30,375 --> 00:18:31,500 -Right? -RICK: Mm-hmm. 409 00:18:31,667 --> 00:18:32,833 What does that mean? 410 00:18:33,042 --> 00:18:34,667 -"Here." -If you do this... 411 00:18:42,917 --> 00:18:45,250 ...you get the H+O Stone. 412 00:18:45,417 --> 00:18:47,500 And this symbol, we've learned today, 413 00:18:47,667 --> 00:18:51,125 -means Templar-related relic. -RICK: Mm-hmm. 414 00:18:51,292 --> 00:18:54,250 And what have we found that the symbol at the end means? 415 00:18:54,417 --> 00:18:56,000 Some have interpreted it to be gold. 416 00:18:56,208 --> 00:18:57,833 ALEX: Yeah. 417 00:18:58,042 --> 00:19:00,375 If you put it all together, I mean, there's the possibility 418 00:19:00,583 --> 00:19:02,333 that the H+O Stone represents, 419 00:19:02,458 --> 00:19:04,542 "Here, Templar gold." 420 00:19:04,708 --> 00:19:07,792 You may have just filled in the blank. 421 00:19:07,958 --> 00:19:09,125 Or a blank or blanks. 422 00:19:09,250 --> 00:19:10,750 ALEX: Yeah. 423 00:19:11,958 --> 00:19:14,417 Has Alex Lagina actually figured out 424 00:19:14,583 --> 00:19:17,667 the source of the gold that's been detected right here, 425 00:19:17,792 --> 00:19:19,417 deep in the Money Pit area? 426 00:19:19,542 --> 00:19:22,417 Well, maybe only more time and digging will tell. 427 00:19:22,542 --> 00:19:24,875 But even if it is Templar gold down there, 428 00:19:25,042 --> 00:19:27,542 the question is: Who put it there? 429 00:19:27,708 --> 00:19:31,750 Well, that's where the next top entry on our countdown comes in. 430 00:19:33,208 --> 00:19:37,292 Number five: the Sir Francis Bacon Theory. 431 00:19:37,458 --> 00:19:39,833 I actually claim to have found 432 00:19:40,042 --> 00:19:42,250 the treasure map leading to Oak Island. 433 00:19:47,042 --> 00:19:48,667 And this is found 434 00:19:48,875 --> 00:19:51,667 in a most unlikely book, 435 00:19:51,833 --> 00:19:54,708 concealed in codes. 436 00:19:54,875 --> 00:19:56,750 And the book I'm talking about 437 00:19:56,875 --> 00:20:00,667 is the great folio with the plays of William Shakespeare. 438 00:20:00,875 --> 00:20:02,750 MATTY: In 2013, 439 00:20:02,917 --> 00:20:06,292 Norwegian filmmaker and Freemason Petter Amundsen 440 00:20:06,458 --> 00:20:08,167 laid out his take 441 00:20:08,333 --> 00:20:10,375 on a theory that has actually been considered 442 00:20:10,542 --> 00:20:12,875 by many researchers over the years. 443 00:20:13,042 --> 00:20:16,000 That the original writings of William Shakespeare, 444 00:20:16,167 --> 00:20:18,375 which are missing, by the way, 445 00:20:18,542 --> 00:20:22,167 were actually authored by a cabal of secret authors 446 00:20:22,333 --> 00:20:24,958 led by the 17th-century English nobleman, 447 00:20:25,083 --> 00:20:29,042 scientist and politician named Sir Francis Bacon. 448 00:20:29,167 --> 00:20:31,833 Curiously, Bacon was also believed 449 00:20:32,000 --> 00:20:34,708 to be a member of a secret society of intellectuals 450 00:20:34,875 --> 00:20:36,625 known as the Rosicrucians, 451 00:20:36,792 --> 00:20:38,667 an organization with strong connections 452 00:20:38,833 --> 00:20:42,583 to-- drumroll-- the Knights Templar. 453 00:20:44,042 --> 00:20:47,500 PETTER: There is a coded map in Shakespeare, which I found. 454 00:20:47,625 --> 00:20:50,708 It takes you up in the sky and brings you down 455 00:20:50,917 --> 00:20:53,417 to Nova Scotia, leading you to Oak Island. 456 00:20:53,542 --> 00:20:55,792 MATTY: Within the first printed edition 457 00:20:55,917 --> 00:20:57,458 of the Shakespearean folios, 458 00:20:57,583 --> 00:21:00,000 which were financed by Francis Bacon 459 00:21:00,208 --> 00:21:01,667 in the early 1600s, 460 00:21:01,833 --> 00:21:04,833 Petter noticed oddly capitalized letters 461 00:21:05,042 --> 00:21:09,542 and misspelled words, along with misnumbered pages. 462 00:21:11,083 --> 00:21:12,667 -I brought some props. -Good. 463 00:21:12,875 --> 00:21:14,667 MATTY: It is his belief that these errors 464 00:21:14,875 --> 00:21:17,167 were purposeful and actually make up 465 00:21:17,375 --> 00:21:19,167 an encoded treasure map 466 00:21:19,333 --> 00:21:21,958 that aligns with the megalithic formation 467 00:21:22,083 --> 00:21:23,417 of six boulders on Oak Island 468 00:21:23,542 --> 00:21:26,625 known as Nolan's Cross. 469 00:21:28,042 --> 00:21:30,583 PETTER: This is Nolan's Cross. 470 00:21:31,542 --> 00:21:34,167 Now, I say that this cross 471 00:21:34,375 --> 00:21:36,042 is more than one symbol. 472 00:21:36,208 --> 00:21:37,458 And I will show you why. 473 00:21:37,583 --> 00:21:41,167 If you add a few more points 474 00:21:41,375 --> 00:21:42,667 like this. 475 00:21:42,875 --> 00:21:46,958 Between these stones, there are certain paths. 476 00:21:47,125 --> 00:21:49,083 The geometry indicates 477 00:21:49,208 --> 00:21:51,917 that we are talking about a Tree of Life. 478 00:21:54,958 --> 00:21:58,042 MATTY: The Kabbalistic symbol known as the Tree of Life 479 00:21:58,208 --> 00:22:00,458 was highly regarded 480 00:22:00,625 --> 00:22:03,125 by both the Rosicrucians and the Templar Order. 481 00:22:03,333 --> 00:22:05,250 Petter believed that the cross 482 00:22:05,375 --> 00:22:07,500 is only what you see on the surface 483 00:22:07,667 --> 00:22:10,250 and that the four other points of the Tree of Life, 484 00:22:10,417 --> 00:22:13,708 known as sefirot, lie hidden below ground. 485 00:22:16,083 --> 00:22:17,292 Whew. 486 00:22:17,375 --> 00:22:20,917 There is the Kingdom Stone. 487 00:22:21,083 --> 00:22:23,667 MATTY: So, with the help of Marty and Alex, 488 00:22:23,833 --> 00:22:25,708 he was able to find one of them. 489 00:22:25,875 --> 00:22:27,875 ALEX: Well, the stone itself is interesting 490 00:22:28,042 --> 00:22:31,458 because you'd think there'd be the other half of it somewhere. 491 00:22:31,667 --> 00:22:34,500 MATTY: Petter's theory is that Francis Bacon 492 00:22:34,667 --> 00:22:37,208 led the effort in the early 17th century 493 00:22:37,375 --> 00:22:39,458 to hide priceless Templar treasures, 494 00:22:39,583 --> 00:22:42,583 along with the original Shakespearian manuscripts, 495 00:22:42,750 --> 00:22:44,542 on Oak Island. 496 00:22:44,708 --> 00:22:47,958 And he isn't the only theorist who strongly believes this. 497 00:22:49,042 --> 00:22:52,500 Bacon wrote that one of the best ways to instruct people 498 00:22:52,667 --> 00:22:54,500 is to create a treasure hunt. 499 00:22:54,708 --> 00:22:57,167 MARTY: Oh, really? That... 500 00:22:57,333 --> 00:22:59,458 -that S-O-B. -That's quite compelling. 501 00:22:59,625 --> 00:23:03,542 MATTY: In 2018, author and Oak Island historian 502 00:23:03,750 --> 00:23:05,417 Randall Sullivan shared insight 503 00:23:05,542 --> 00:23:07,667 on Bacon's known writings 504 00:23:07,875 --> 00:23:11,042 that may be directly related to the Oak Island mystery. 505 00:23:11,208 --> 00:23:13,167 RANDALL: You may know this, Rick, that... 506 00:23:13,333 --> 00:23:15,625 one of Bacon's works, uh, uh, 507 00:23:15,750 --> 00:23:18,125 is about creating a perpetual spring. 508 00:23:18,292 --> 00:23:19,333 -Mm-hmm. -Yeah, and the very first line 509 00:23:19,542 --> 00:23:21,083 of his instructions is: 510 00:23:21,250 --> 00:23:23,167 "Dig a pit upon the seashore." 511 00:23:24,375 --> 00:23:26,958 MATTY: Could the Bacon/Shakespeare theory explain the evidence 512 00:23:27,083 --> 00:23:31,208 of silver and gold discovered deep in the Money Pit area? 513 00:23:31,375 --> 00:23:33,750 Or perhaps the pieces of parchment 514 00:23:33,917 --> 00:23:36,292 that have been unearthed during drilling operations 515 00:23:36,458 --> 00:23:38,208 over the years by previous searchers 516 00:23:38,375 --> 00:23:40,458 and the Laginas' team, as well? 517 00:23:45,375 --> 00:23:46,625 Many of the theories that Rick, Marty, Craig 518 00:23:46,833 --> 00:23:48,625 and the team have heard during their quest 519 00:23:48,833 --> 00:23:51,583 to solve the Oak Island mystery have been proven plausible 520 00:23:51,792 --> 00:23:55,208 by discoveries they have made over the past decade. 521 00:23:55,375 --> 00:23:56,958 But the next one on our countdown 522 00:23:57,083 --> 00:23:58,500 has been supported by a legend 523 00:23:58,708 --> 00:24:01,917 that goes back over 600 years. 524 00:24:03,167 --> 00:24:07,167 Number four: the Prince Henry Sinclair theory. 525 00:24:08,208 --> 00:24:11,167 According to the traditions of the indigenous people 526 00:24:11,292 --> 00:24:13,792 of Nova Scotia known as the Mi'kmaq, 527 00:24:13,917 --> 00:24:17,292 in 1398, a man arrived on their shores 528 00:24:17,458 --> 00:24:19,458 with an army and many ships, 529 00:24:19,625 --> 00:24:22,708 befriended them and taught them new methods 530 00:24:22,917 --> 00:24:25,500 for navigating the waters and fishing. 531 00:24:25,708 --> 00:24:28,792 They came to worship him as a god named Glooscap. 532 00:24:28,958 --> 00:24:32,792 According to many researchers, this man was actually 533 00:24:32,917 --> 00:24:34,958 a Scottish Prince named Henry Sinclair 534 00:24:35,125 --> 00:24:37,958 who may have come to Nova Scotia in order to hide 535 00:24:38,083 --> 00:24:40,958 the order's sacred treasures on Oak Island. 536 00:24:43,708 --> 00:24:45,167 ALEX: Look at that. 537 00:24:45,333 --> 00:24:47,417 CHARLES: Absolutely magnificent. 538 00:24:47,542 --> 00:24:48,625 MARTY: Yeah, that is beautiful. 539 00:24:48,708 --> 00:24:50,750 MATTY: In 2014, Rick, Marty 540 00:24:50,875 --> 00:24:53,625 and members of the team traveled to Scotland 541 00:24:53,708 --> 00:24:56,125 to look for clues that might help prove 542 00:24:56,333 --> 00:24:58,458 Prince Henry journeyed to Oak Island. 543 00:24:58,583 --> 00:25:01,500 There, they visited Rosslyn Chapel, 544 00:25:01,667 --> 00:25:03,500 a mysterious church 545 00:25:03,708 --> 00:25:06,083 that had been constructed by Henry's grandson William 546 00:25:06,250 --> 00:25:09,708 in 1446, nearly 50 years prior 547 00:25:09,917 --> 00:25:12,917 to the so-called discovery of North America 548 00:25:13,083 --> 00:25:15,000 by Christopher Columbus. 549 00:25:15,208 --> 00:25:16,667 FIONA: The legend here 550 00:25:16,833 --> 00:25:18,500 is that Prince Henry Sinclair, 551 00:25:18,708 --> 00:25:22,667 in 1398, sailed to the New World 552 00:25:22,833 --> 00:25:26,625 and brought back with him corn. 553 00:25:32,875 --> 00:25:36,583 And there are other carvings such as the aloe vera 554 00:25:36,708 --> 00:25:40,333 and trillium, which again is a North American plant. 555 00:25:40,458 --> 00:25:42,125 And, interestingly, 556 00:25:42,292 --> 00:25:44,958 our botanist believed that the trillium was trillium, 557 00:25:45,167 --> 00:25:47,208 so we have to believe 558 00:25:47,375 --> 00:25:49,625 that the people who carved this chapel 559 00:25:49,792 --> 00:25:51,708 were far-traveled. 560 00:25:51,917 --> 00:25:53,750 MARTY: Corn is a New World crop. 561 00:25:53,917 --> 00:25:55,833 And one of the key things 562 00:25:56,042 --> 00:25:58,458 is that there appears to be a carving of a trillium. 563 00:25:58,625 --> 00:26:00,333 Trilliums would have been unknown 564 00:26:00,542 --> 00:26:02,417 to the people who built that chapel 565 00:26:02,583 --> 00:26:04,542 had they not been to North America. 566 00:26:05,625 --> 00:26:07,250 ANDREA: Well, I have an interesting tale 567 00:26:07,417 --> 00:26:09,542 -to tell you all. -DOUG: Excellent. 568 00:26:10,917 --> 00:26:12,875 MATTY: If the Sinclair legend seemed plausible 569 00:26:13,042 --> 00:26:16,708 after the team's trip to Scotland in 2014, 570 00:26:16,875 --> 00:26:19,167 it was mapped out in historical detail 571 00:26:19,333 --> 00:26:23,083 during their recent trip to Italy in 2022. 572 00:26:23,292 --> 00:26:26,417 ANDREA: I have a very famous map 573 00:26:26,583 --> 00:26:29,958 from the late, very late 17th century. 574 00:26:30,125 --> 00:26:31,458 -And it says here... -Oh, there it is. 575 00:26:31,583 --> 00:26:33,833 ...right there in Canada, 576 00:26:34,042 --> 00:26:38,958 discovered by Antonio Zeno in 1390. 577 00:26:39,083 --> 00:26:43,375 So, this suggests that the Zeno brothers 578 00:26:43,542 --> 00:26:46,667 had landed and discovered 579 00:26:46,833 --> 00:26:48,917 this part of North America. 580 00:26:49,917 --> 00:26:51,292 MATTY: At the University of Rome, 581 00:26:51,500 --> 00:26:54,625 Professor Andrea di Robilant 582 00:26:54,792 --> 00:26:57,750 shared his research and a map that suggested 583 00:26:57,875 --> 00:27:02,000 two Italian navigators named Nicolai and Antonio Zeno 584 00:27:02,208 --> 00:27:04,708 actually helped Prince Henry Sinclair 585 00:27:04,875 --> 00:27:06,833 make the voyage to Nova Scotia. 586 00:27:07,042 --> 00:27:08,625 ANDREA: It is rather startling 587 00:27:08,750 --> 00:27:12,500 because we realize that they travel to Iceland. 588 00:27:12,667 --> 00:27:16,333 After Iceland, they sail to Greenland. 589 00:27:16,458 --> 00:27:19,042 And very, very possibly, 590 00:27:19,208 --> 00:27:23,250 to the coast of North America, along Nova Scotia. 591 00:27:23,417 --> 00:27:25,250 ALEX: Oh, wow. 592 00:27:26,250 --> 00:27:30,000 That puts a foothold for the Zeno brothers 593 00:27:30,208 --> 00:27:32,500 in Canada, so they could be associated 594 00:27:32,667 --> 00:27:34,042 with the Oak Island stories. 595 00:27:34,208 --> 00:27:36,583 -Yes. -CORJAN: And then Henry Sinclair 596 00:27:36,750 --> 00:27:39,125 in North America. 597 00:27:40,083 --> 00:27:41,583 According to the ancient traditions 598 00:27:41,708 --> 00:27:43,125 of the Mi'kmaq people, 599 00:27:43,292 --> 00:27:46,458 Henry Sinclair really did journey to Nova Scotia. 600 00:27:46,583 --> 00:27:48,000 So, could he have been the one 601 00:27:48,125 --> 00:27:50,333 who actually carved the H+O Stone? 602 00:27:50,417 --> 00:27:52,708 Well, even if he did beat Christopher Columbus 603 00:27:52,875 --> 00:27:54,583 to North America, believe it or not, 604 00:27:54,750 --> 00:27:56,375 the next theory on our countdown 605 00:27:56,542 --> 00:27:58,417 suggests they both could be related 606 00:27:58,542 --> 00:28:00,917 to the Oak Island mystery. 607 00:28:02,208 --> 00:28:06,167 Number three: the Christopher Columbus theory. 608 00:28:06,333 --> 00:28:08,458 JEFF: I think one of the hardest challenges 609 00:28:08,667 --> 00:28:11,458 in any conversation is to get to the truth. 610 00:28:12,500 --> 00:28:16,333 MATTY: In 2015, researcher Jeff Irving presented Rick, 611 00:28:16,458 --> 00:28:19,417 Marty, Craig and the team with what certainly sounded like 612 00:28:19,583 --> 00:28:22,083 a pretty incredible scenario. 613 00:28:22,292 --> 00:28:25,333 What I think we're looking for is the Ark of the Covenant. 614 00:28:27,625 --> 00:28:30,125 At this point, I will tell you that I believe 615 00:28:30,292 --> 00:28:33,583 Christopher Columbus was responsible 616 00:28:33,750 --> 00:28:36,333 for the Ark coming to Oak Island. 617 00:28:38,792 --> 00:28:40,583 MATTY: It may surprise some people, 618 00:28:40,792 --> 00:28:42,875 but Christopher Columbus 619 00:28:43,042 --> 00:28:45,667 was actually directly connected to the Knights Templar. 620 00:28:45,875 --> 00:28:48,792 His wife, Filipa Moniz Perestrelo, 621 00:28:48,958 --> 00:28:51,792 was the daughter of Bartolomeu Perestrelo, 622 00:28:51,917 --> 00:28:53,958 who served as the grand master 623 00:28:54,125 --> 00:28:56,667 for the Portuguese sect of the Templar Order. 624 00:28:56,833 --> 00:28:59,417 And even though Christopher Columbus's mission 625 00:28:59,583 --> 00:29:01,042 to North America in 1492 626 00:29:01,208 --> 00:29:04,708 was financed by the Spanish crown, 627 00:29:04,875 --> 00:29:07,000 his ships traversed the Atlantic Ocean 628 00:29:07,208 --> 00:29:10,292 with the Portuguese version of the Templar cross 629 00:29:10,458 --> 00:29:12,083 emblazoned on their sails. 630 00:29:13,500 --> 00:29:16,458 But what gives Jeff Irving's theory its strongest footing 631 00:29:16,625 --> 00:29:19,667 was discovered in 2020, 632 00:29:19,833 --> 00:29:22,000 as the team searched the spoils 633 00:29:22,125 --> 00:29:24,625 of a recently drilled borehole in the Money Pit area. 634 00:29:24,833 --> 00:29:26,250 ALEX: Oh. 635 00:29:28,000 --> 00:29:30,375 Yeah, what is that? 636 00:29:30,542 --> 00:29:32,375 ALEX: What do you think this is? 637 00:29:34,375 --> 00:29:36,250 -Careful there. -Yeah, I don't want to... 638 00:29:37,500 --> 00:29:38,500 Looks like leather almost. 639 00:29:38,667 --> 00:29:40,333 It for sure looks like leather. 640 00:29:40,542 --> 00:29:42,000 -Like a heel. -A toe. Or a heel. 641 00:29:42,125 --> 00:29:44,333 -Yeah, it could be a heel. -A heel. 642 00:29:44,542 --> 00:29:47,333 MATTY: It was a boot heel, to be exact, 643 00:29:47,542 --> 00:29:50,625 that the team immediately submitted for carbon dating. 644 00:29:50,708 --> 00:29:52,792 Talk to us, Craig. What do we got? 645 00:29:52,917 --> 00:29:54,667 I've got two time periods, 646 00:29:54,792 --> 00:29:57,000 but there's such a small gap between them, 647 00:29:57,208 --> 00:29:59,042 it's basically one time period. 648 00:29:59,208 --> 00:30:03,667 95% sure this is what it is: 649 00:30:03,875 --> 00:30:07,250 1492 to 1662. 650 00:30:08,417 --> 00:30:10,458 -1492? -Isn't that amazing? 651 00:30:10,667 --> 00:30:11,667 Holy crap. 652 00:30:11,833 --> 00:30:12,792 Columbus could have been 653 00:30:12,917 --> 00:30:14,292 wearing this shoe. 654 00:30:14,458 --> 00:30:15,917 (laughter) 655 00:30:19,500 --> 00:30:21,208 We're down to our top two Oak Island theories. 656 00:30:21,375 --> 00:30:23,167 And while the others we've covered so far 657 00:30:23,375 --> 00:30:25,875 have been propped up by trails of clues, 658 00:30:26,042 --> 00:30:27,792 this next entry on our list 659 00:30:27,958 --> 00:30:30,500 has a literal road supporting it. 660 00:30:32,208 --> 00:30:36,375 Number two: the Military Order of Christ theory. 661 00:30:37,500 --> 00:30:39,000 MARTY: Wow. 662 00:30:39,208 --> 00:30:40,542 RICK: It's quite impressive. 663 00:30:40,708 --> 00:30:42,333 MARTY: It's incredibly impressive. 664 00:30:42,458 --> 00:30:44,333 Stand right there, and you'll get a real good perspective. 665 00:30:44,542 --> 00:30:45,958 Unbelievable. 666 00:30:47,083 --> 00:30:49,875 MATTY: For decades, there has been speculation 667 00:30:50,042 --> 00:30:52,708 that the triangle-shaped swamp in the middle of Oak Island 668 00:30:52,875 --> 00:30:54,500 might be man-made. 669 00:30:54,667 --> 00:30:57,833 But when the team drained and meticulously excavated 670 00:30:57,958 --> 00:31:01,167 the southeast corner of the brackish bog in 2020, 671 00:31:01,375 --> 00:31:04,167 they pretty much proved it to be true. 672 00:31:04,375 --> 00:31:06,500 That-that looks exactly like an old Roman road. 673 00:31:06,708 --> 00:31:08,208 AARON: It's possible. 674 00:31:08,375 --> 00:31:09,917 You know, indicates probably a loading 675 00:31:10,125 --> 00:31:11,500 or unloading from a ship. 676 00:31:12,542 --> 00:31:15,792 MATTY: The stone road, or possible ship's wharf, 677 00:31:15,917 --> 00:31:18,167 connected right to a cobblestone pathway 678 00:31:18,333 --> 00:31:21,542 that possibly leads in the direction of the Money Pit. 679 00:31:21,708 --> 00:31:25,625 But who could have created it and then hidden it so well? 680 00:31:26,833 --> 00:31:28,167 TERRY: This is a type of road 681 00:31:28,333 --> 00:31:31,667 that was built in Europe in the 1500s. 682 00:31:31,875 --> 00:31:33,292 CHARLES: Wow. 683 00:31:34,333 --> 00:31:38,708 If you look for the way roads were generally made 684 00:31:38,875 --> 00:31:41,000 by people in Nova Scotia, 685 00:31:41,167 --> 00:31:43,583 what comes to my mind is the Portuguese. 686 00:31:45,000 --> 00:31:48,333 The Portuguese were active in Nova Scotia 687 00:31:48,500 --> 00:31:50,667 from 1522 up till 688 00:31:50,833 --> 00:31:53,875 no later than, uh, 1583. 689 00:31:55,917 --> 00:31:57,417 MATTY: When Terry Deveau, the president 690 00:31:57,583 --> 00:32:00,333 of the New England Antiquities Association, 691 00:32:00,500 --> 00:32:04,083 speculated that the road could be 500 years old 692 00:32:04,208 --> 00:32:06,167 and of Portuguese origin, 693 00:32:06,375 --> 00:32:08,000 the team was certainly intrigued. 694 00:32:08,208 --> 00:32:10,333 And then, in 2021, 695 00:32:10,542 --> 00:32:13,500 they found a piece of cannon metal on Lot 4 696 00:32:13,667 --> 00:32:15,250 and two small stone shots, 697 00:32:15,417 --> 00:32:17,750 one of which came from deep in the Money Pit area, 698 00:32:17,917 --> 00:32:19,792 that other experts believed 699 00:32:19,958 --> 00:32:22,375 were of the same cultural vintage. 700 00:32:23,375 --> 00:32:24,833 -Corjan. -CORJAN: Oh, good morning. 701 00:32:24,958 --> 00:32:27,250 -Welcome to Portugal. -Thank you. 702 00:32:27,375 --> 00:32:30,083 MATTY: This prompted researcher Corjan Mol 703 00:32:30,250 --> 00:32:32,292 to invite Rick and members of the team 704 00:32:32,417 --> 00:32:35,417 to visit a number of medieval sites and churches 705 00:32:35,542 --> 00:32:37,167 in Portugal. 706 00:32:42,917 --> 00:32:44,292 RICK: Oh, wow. 707 00:32:44,375 --> 00:32:47,292 -That's impressive. -DOUG: Wow. 708 00:32:47,417 --> 00:32:50,667 MATTY: While there, Corjan shared his theory 709 00:32:50,875 --> 00:32:53,833 that members of the Portuguese sect of the Knights Templar, 710 00:32:54,042 --> 00:32:56,667 known as the Military Order of Christ, 711 00:32:56,875 --> 00:33:00,208 may have visited Oak Island in the 16th century. 712 00:33:01,208 --> 00:33:03,500 -ALEX: Hey, guys? - ...generational. 713 00:33:03,708 --> 00:33:05,875 You might be interested in this one over here. 714 00:33:06,000 --> 00:33:07,458 -DOUG: Oh, yeah? -Yeah. 715 00:33:07,625 --> 00:33:09,625 Oh, that's interesting. I can see it from here. 716 00:33:10,875 --> 00:33:13,750 ALEX: So, this symbol is definitely on the 90 Foot Stone. 717 00:33:13,917 --> 00:33:16,250 MATTY: At numerous locations where the Portuguese Templars 718 00:33:16,417 --> 00:33:20,667 held strongholds between the 12th and 16th centuries, 719 00:33:20,833 --> 00:33:23,375 the team saw carvings and structures 720 00:33:23,500 --> 00:33:25,583 that have also been found on Oak Island. 721 00:33:25,750 --> 00:33:29,667 What I can't help compare it to is the design of the Money Pit. 722 00:33:29,875 --> 00:33:33,500 MATTY: This even included a 90-foot-deep ceremonial well 723 00:33:33,708 --> 00:33:36,333 that appeared to be a replica of the Money Pit. 724 00:33:37,708 --> 00:33:38,958 CORJAN: Oh, look at that. 725 00:33:40,458 --> 00:33:42,250 ALEX: So, I would say that's a match to this. 726 00:33:42,458 --> 00:33:44,833 MATTY: At a military museum in Lisbon, 727 00:33:44,958 --> 00:33:46,958 they saw a 500-year-old cannon 728 00:33:47,083 --> 00:33:49,458 that was a perfect fit for the stone shots 729 00:33:49,625 --> 00:33:51,875 that were discovered on the island. 730 00:33:52,042 --> 00:33:54,125 Look at how beautifully constructed, 731 00:33:54,333 --> 00:33:57,000 I mean, rough and raw, but look at the curvature. 732 00:33:57,167 --> 00:33:58,667 Look at the degree of slope remains constant. 733 00:33:58,833 --> 00:34:00,667 It's beautiful. 734 00:34:00,833 --> 00:34:03,417 ALEX: If there is a Portuguese connection to the construction 735 00:34:03,542 --> 00:34:05,500 of the road in the swamp, maybe this is the blueprint. 736 00:34:05,708 --> 00:34:08,583 MATTY: But the smoking gun for Corjan's theory 737 00:34:08,750 --> 00:34:11,875 was found in the town of Alqueidão da Serra. 738 00:34:12,042 --> 00:34:13,833 There, Rick and the team walked down 739 00:34:14,000 --> 00:34:16,250 a Roman-era stone road 740 00:34:16,375 --> 00:34:18,708 connected to a cobblestone pathway 741 00:34:18,875 --> 00:34:22,333 that was an exact match to the one unearthed in the swamp. 742 00:34:22,542 --> 00:34:25,000 We were gonna drive up in a chariot. 743 00:34:25,208 --> 00:34:26,750 We changed our minds. 744 00:34:26,875 --> 00:34:28,500 I'm so glad to see this show is finally on the road. 745 00:34:28,667 --> 00:34:29,875 (laughter) 746 00:34:30,042 --> 00:34:31,375 RICK: And it is. It's beautiful. 747 00:34:31,542 --> 00:34:33,958 You could've taken a snapshot of this, 748 00:34:34,125 --> 00:34:35,792 and you could've taken a snapshot 749 00:34:35,917 --> 00:34:37,833 of the stone path on Oak Island, 750 00:34:38,000 --> 00:34:39,750 and you wouldn't tell the difference. 751 00:34:39,917 --> 00:34:42,625 To me, that matches up perfectly. 752 00:34:48,833 --> 00:34:51,500 We've now covered nine theories about the Oak Island mystery 753 00:34:51,708 --> 00:34:54,667 that have all been supported by artifacts, 754 00:34:54,833 --> 00:34:56,917 structures and scientific evidence 755 00:34:57,083 --> 00:34:59,500 found right here on these 140 acres. 756 00:34:59,708 --> 00:35:02,292 So, which one is true? 757 00:35:02,458 --> 00:35:06,000 The short answer is they might all be. 758 00:35:06,125 --> 00:35:07,667 And there's one more theory out there 759 00:35:07,833 --> 00:35:09,333 that might help explain that. 760 00:35:09,542 --> 00:35:13,417 It's also the top treasure theory on our countdown. 761 00:35:14,542 --> 00:35:19,333 Number one: Zena Halpern's Knights Templar theory. 762 00:35:19,542 --> 00:35:21,083 ZENA (over phone): Hello? 763 00:35:21,292 --> 00:35:23,167 -DOUG: Hi, Zena. It's Doug. -Hi. 764 00:35:23,292 --> 00:35:24,667 MATTY: In 2016, 765 00:35:24,792 --> 00:35:27,958 the late, New York-based author Zena Halpern 766 00:35:28,167 --> 00:35:29,875 shared her incredible research 767 00:35:30,042 --> 00:35:32,458 with Rick, Marty, Craig and the team. 768 00:35:32,625 --> 00:35:34,917 DOUG: We have the map that shows Nova Scotia, 769 00:35:35,083 --> 00:35:39,208 we have a map of Oak Island, and then we have the cipher. 770 00:36:00,250 --> 00:36:03,750 MATTY: Zena's work centered on 12th- and 14th-century maps 771 00:36:03,917 --> 00:36:07,625 featuring Oak Island, along with a mysterious cipher 772 00:36:07,792 --> 00:36:09,958 that she believed had been created 773 00:36:10,167 --> 00:36:12,375 by members of the Knights Templar. 774 00:36:25,875 --> 00:36:29,375 MATTY: The Templar Order had been founded in Jerusalem 775 00:36:29,542 --> 00:36:32,167 during the 12th century to fight for Christian interests 776 00:36:32,375 --> 00:36:34,708 in the Holy Land during the Crusades. 777 00:36:34,875 --> 00:36:36,750 It is believed by many 778 00:36:36,875 --> 00:36:38,583 that while headquartered on the original site 779 00:36:38,750 --> 00:36:42,167 of King Solomon's Temple, members of the order 780 00:36:42,333 --> 00:36:45,375 discovered many priceless religious treasures 781 00:36:45,542 --> 00:36:50,000 and then established satellite strongholds all across Europe. 782 00:36:50,208 --> 00:36:52,917 It is known that in the 14th century 783 00:36:53,083 --> 00:36:55,583 the Knights Templar were suddenly disbanded by the Pope 784 00:36:55,750 --> 00:36:59,458 and the king of France based on charges of heresy. 785 00:36:59,625 --> 00:37:01,458 However, some believe the true purpose 786 00:37:01,625 --> 00:37:04,500 was to commandeer their treasures. 787 00:37:04,667 --> 00:37:07,625 Many Templars were imprisoned and executed, 788 00:37:07,792 --> 00:37:10,583 but their treasures were never found. 789 00:37:13,208 --> 00:37:14,750 We're uncovering something here 790 00:37:14,917 --> 00:37:16,833 that people haven't seen for hundreds of years. 791 00:37:17,000 --> 00:37:19,583 MATTY: In 2017, 792 00:37:19,750 --> 00:37:23,042 the fellowship uncovered a massive stone-paved feature 793 00:37:23,208 --> 00:37:24,917 that had been constructed across 794 00:37:25,083 --> 00:37:26,333 the middle of the swamp... 795 00:37:27,292 --> 00:37:29,000 Oh, holy crow. 796 00:37:29,208 --> 00:37:30,667 What are we looking at? 797 00:37:30,833 --> 00:37:32,583 I think something really important here. 798 00:37:32,708 --> 00:37:35,208 MATTY: ...which Dr. Spooner was able to carbon-date 799 00:37:35,375 --> 00:37:37,833 when he found a branch lodged within it. 800 00:37:38,000 --> 00:37:39,917 There's the dates we're getting. 801 00:37:40,083 --> 00:37:41,583 -Wow. -Yeah. 802 00:37:41,750 --> 00:37:42,833 What are they? 803 00:37:43,000 --> 00:37:45,208 Around 1200 A.D. 804 00:37:46,208 --> 00:37:47,917 Medieval. 805 00:37:48,042 --> 00:37:50,000 -Medieval, baby. -(laughter) 806 00:37:50,125 --> 00:37:53,917 TERRY: This is quite a thing you've found here. Beautiful well. 807 00:37:54,042 --> 00:37:55,125 MATTY: And you'll recall 808 00:37:55,292 --> 00:37:57,167 the stone well on Lot 26. 809 00:37:57,333 --> 00:38:01,292 You know, the one that contains high-trace evidence of silver? 810 00:38:01,500 --> 00:38:04,958 Dr. Spooner was able to date that, as well. 811 00:38:05,083 --> 00:38:07,667 The date I got was 1028 to 1172. 812 00:38:07,833 --> 00:38:08,875 JACK: Oh, no way. 813 00:38:09,042 --> 00:38:10,000 That is really cool. 814 00:38:10,208 --> 00:38:12,250 -12th century, right? -Yeah. 815 00:38:12,375 --> 00:38:15,000 MATTY: So, if Zena may have been right that the Knights Templar 816 00:38:15,208 --> 00:38:17,125 visited Oak Island in the 12th century, 817 00:38:17,250 --> 00:38:21,750 was she also correct that they returned some 200 years later? 818 00:38:21,958 --> 00:38:25,333 Well, the team has not only found evidence 819 00:38:25,500 --> 00:38:28,667 of a wooden structure just north of the swamp, 820 00:38:28,833 --> 00:38:31,708 where Zena's believed 1347 Templar map 821 00:38:31,875 --> 00:38:33,625 indicates the presence of a dam... 822 00:38:33,792 --> 00:38:36,667 Whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa. 823 00:38:36,833 --> 00:38:40,667 MATTY: ...but in 2017, Rick and Gary Drayton 824 00:38:40,792 --> 00:38:43,083 made one of the most profound discoveries 825 00:38:43,250 --> 00:38:45,667 in the history of the treasure hunt. 826 00:38:45,875 --> 00:38:46,958 Holy... 827 00:38:47,125 --> 00:38:49,458 Holy schmoly, all right. 828 00:38:49,625 --> 00:38:51,500 -RICK: It's a cross. -GARY: That's a cross. 829 00:38:51,708 --> 00:38:54,750 MATTY: Thanks to cutting-edge scientific testing, 830 00:38:54,917 --> 00:38:57,833 the small lead cross found at Smith's Cove 831 00:38:58,042 --> 00:39:00,792 was proven to have originated in Southern France 832 00:39:01,000 --> 00:39:04,583 and made from lead that was mined in the 14th century. 833 00:39:04,792 --> 00:39:07,667 It was an exact match to a carving 834 00:39:07,875 --> 00:39:09,667 that Rick and members of the team saw 835 00:39:09,875 --> 00:39:13,708 in a 14th-century Templar prison in Domme, France, 836 00:39:13,875 --> 00:39:17,375 and a mirror image of a Templar cave 837 00:39:17,542 --> 00:39:21,083 that they recently visited in Camerano, Italy. 838 00:39:21,250 --> 00:39:24,125 So, is it possible that Zena Halpern 839 00:39:24,250 --> 00:39:26,208 uncovered the true origin 840 00:39:26,375 --> 00:39:28,250 of the Oak Island treasure mystery? 841 00:39:28,458 --> 00:39:30,042 RICK: I do think that there was 842 00:39:30,208 --> 00:39:33,000 a cabal, a group of people 843 00:39:33,125 --> 00:39:36,333 or entities or organizations 844 00:39:36,542 --> 00:39:39,375 that information was passed down 845 00:39:39,542 --> 00:39:42,000 over centuries, perhaps even millennia. 846 00:39:42,167 --> 00:39:44,542 So, does that mean there were successive attempts 847 00:39:44,708 --> 00:39:47,625 to construct something, to conduct some enterprise 848 00:39:47,833 --> 00:39:49,583 and that it was done over centuries? 849 00:39:49,792 --> 00:39:52,292 I don't have any other explanation. 850 00:39:52,417 --> 00:39:54,750 After finding so many clues 851 00:39:54,917 --> 00:39:57,333 that range across so many centuries, 852 00:39:57,500 --> 00:40:00,292 is Rick Lagina correct that Oak Island contains 853 00:40:00,458 --> 00:40:02,333 the secrets of a multigenerational 854 00:40:02,542 --> 00:40:04,000 treasure conspiracy? 855 00:40:04,167 --> 00:40:06,750 Well, the only way to find out is to keep digging. 856 00:40:06,875 --> 00:40:09,375 And that's exactly what the fellowship is going to do 857 00:40:09,542 --> 00:40:13,125 when season 11 starts in just a matter of weeks. 858 00:40:13,333 --> 00:40:14,667 Until then, as always, 859 00:40:14,750 --> 00:40:17,167 keep the faith and have a great night. 860 00:40:17,333 --> 00:40:19,083 Uh, no pun intended. 861 00:40:19,292 --> 00:40:22,000 CAPTIONING PROVIDED BY A+E NETWORKS