Mystery of Oak Island Solved

geezerdb

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Yes, it does make sense. Likely there is a very simple explanation for all the mystery surrounding the island and the pit, but we tend to look for the most extreme, complicated reasons for what has been found, and not found, so far.
 

Peyton Manning

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well. slow down there skippy! I wouldn't say solved, I would say a new theory
I don't think there was treasure there either, but why haul pine resin to an island to make tar?
 

Minrelica

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I watch every episode and enjoy it thoroughly but does anyone think anything big will be revealed on any episode as we all hope? Anything big would certainly hit the news circuit months before the show airs. The guys are sincere and it’s a great show but it’s becoming one or has become one of the most milked series in recent history.
 

Ryano

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The tar kiln theory is interesting but not new. There's a university study (Halifax?) that inventoried every tar kiln from N.American antiquity on the East Coast. The researcher speculated offhand that the pits on OI were similar BUT much larger (though it was hard to guess the original size after centuries of excavation.
 

Singlestack Wonder

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Of course proof of an actual pit at the island has never been found. The only pit(S) on the island are the ones treasure hunters dug over the years.
 

treasure1822

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Of course proof of an actual pit at the island has never been found. The only pit(S) on the island are the ones treasure hunters dug over the years.

I am going to disagree just a little, the "Cave in pit" wasn't known until 1878. Was no reference to any excavation on that spot prior.
In 1878 Mrs. Sophia Sellers, daughter of Anthony Graves was ploughing the field and her oxen suddenly fell into a well-like hole, approximately 3 m (10’) deep and 2.4 m (8’) in diameter. The hole was 106.7 m (350’) east of the Money Pit and approx. 51.8 m (170’) from Smith’s Cove. A heavy wooden tripod was erected over the shaft and the ox was hauled out and the hole was filled with boulders. This hole (SHAFT #12) would become what is known as “The Cave In Pit”, which is suspected to have eroded, and be directly over the route of the water tunnels leading from Smith’s Cove’s finger drains on the beach, to a convergence on the surface called a “Vertical Shaft”, and then sharply downward to the bottom of Money Pit.
Contributor: Charles Barkhouse


henry-and-sophia-sellars_orig.jpg



Sophia and Henry Sellars



In 1893, Fred Blair of the Oak Island Treasure Co. removed the loose fill and dug down to 15.9 m (52’) seeing pick marks in the hard clay wall. Water broke through and filled to tide level and the site was abandoned. Blair believed it was an air shaft used during the construction of the flood tunnel from Smith’s Cove to the Money Pit a distance of over 158.5 m (520’).



In Feb 1966 Robert Dunfield used power shovel and hit oak below where Blair had stopped at 15.9 m (52’) and again at approximately 30.5 m (100 ‘). Erosion in the pit prevented further excavation.



During the summer of 1966 Dan Blankenship excavated the same area with a crane and bucket down to approximately 26.5 m (87’). The top and bottom of this shaft flared out. When the bucket became trapped at the bottom Dan volunteered to go down to free it. He constructed a steel cage to protect him at the bottom. Shortly after Dan returned to the surface the walls of the pit collapsed.

© 2017 Oak Island Tours Inc. (OITI) All Rights Reserved.​
 

Dave Rishar

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I am going to disagree just a little, the "Cave in pit" wasn't known until 1878. Was no reference to any excavation on that spot prior.
In 1878 Mrs. Sophia Sellers, daughter of Anthony Graves was ploughing the field and her oxen suddenly fell into a well-like hole, approximately 3 m (10’) deep and 2.4 m (8’) in diameter. The hole was 106.7 m (350’) east of the Money Pit and approx. 51.8 m (170’) from Smith’s Cove.

So what you're telling me is, an ox sank into a hole in an area known for sinkholes?

How about that.
 

Charlie P. (NY)

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Ah, but "O" and "X" were both symbols that the Templars and Rosicrucians were know to have used frequently.

And, of you put the O over the X it represents the skull and crossbones of pirates.

Treasure, treasure!
 

treasure1822

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Dec 9, 2010
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So what you're telling me is, an ox sank into a hole in an area known for sinkholes?

How about that.

No, I am saying that a "man-made" pit was discovered when the shaft collapsed in 1878 under the weight of Oxen. The hard clay wall showed "Pick Marks" which is not Common to my knowledge in a "Natural Sink Hole" nor is the Oak timbers found at 62 feet and 100 Feet depths. Not to mention there was no water found until Blair took a small drill and bore past the 52" depth. That's when they believe he breached the flood tunnel.
 

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Dave Rishar

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No, I am saying that a "man-made" pit was discovered when the shaft collapsed in 1878 under the weight of Oxen. The hard clay wall showed "Pick Marks" which is not Common to my knowledge in a "Natural Sink Hole" nor is the Oak timbers found at 62 feet and 100 Feet depths. Not to mention there was no water found until Blair took a small drill and bore past the 52" depth. That's when they believe he breached the flood tunnel.

Most impressive. Can you provide a link to physical evidence, or was this lifted from a blog?
 

Singlestack Wonder

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Most impressive. Can you provide a link to physical evidence, or was this lifted from a blog?

The only pits ever mentioned over the years are from treasure hunting companies only. Not a credible source as they were trying to scam investors out of money. Besides the fact that no evidence has been shown that a money pit ever existed, its important to also note that there has never been any proof presented whatsoever that proves flood tunnels actually existed that ran from Smith's cove to the alleged money pit site. Some structures in the cove were found that have since been said to be a sea salt drying operation or some other common application.
 

gazzahk

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gazzahk

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but why haul pine resin to an island to make tar?
There could of been many reasons. She hypothesizes that the operation was conducted using slave labor. As discussed in the other tread referred to these are possible reasons for using the island.

I can see setting up the processing on a small island near the main land. ie easier to get things on and off the ships, easier to keep control of the slaves, easier to keep the natives away and protect your operation, I would guess they would of also been bringing logs across from the mainland on barges if her theory is correct. It may also be the case that being an island there were subject to different laws/rules etc or simply that it was cheap to acquire the land.
 

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