Oak Island Team Unveils Heat Map Revealing New High-Value Targets

A Strategic War Room Meeting

The atmosphere in the Oak Island war room turned analytical as Rick, Marty, Craig, and the team gathered to review a newly created “heat map” of island artifacts. Steve, working closely with Emma and Jillian, presented the data-driven visualization designed to identify where the oldest—and most promising—finds have been uncovered.

Charged with analyzing every artifact discovered across the island over the years, the team categorized items by age and plotted them using a color-coded legend.

• Pink: Pre-1725, high likelihood of original depositors
• Orange: 1730s–1750s
• Green: Mid-range historic
• Blue: 1800s to modern—likely searcher activity

The map highlighted two immediate “hot zones”: Lot 5 and the Money Pit, both previously rich with early artifacts. But a surprising cluster appeared elsewhere—on Lot 15.

Lot 15 Emerges as a Major New Target

Located about 200 yards northwest of the Money Pit, Lot 15 has produced some of Oak Island’s most peculiar artifacts, including:

• Charcoal possibly dating back to the 14th century
• A Chinese coin potentially over 1,000 years old
• Pre-17th-century Portuguese cannon stoneshot

The heat map clusters suggested even deeper potential. “We’ve barely scratched the surface,” Billy noted, urging further exploration. Rick agreed, calling Lot 15 an appropriate and exciting next step in their island-wide investigation.

Gary Drayton Begins Metal Detection on Lot 15

Following the meeting, Rick, Gary, and Steve headed for Lot 15 as Billy prepared the land by plowing it—an English metal-detecting method that lifts older items closer to the surface.

Almost immediately, Gary uncovered a piece of coal—a substance that has previously been linked to the Portuguese-style stone road in the swamp. The team flagged it for Emma’s scientific analysis, noting the potential connection between Lot 15 and earlier Portuguese evidence.

Discovery of a Rosehead Spike

Their next find was even more compelling: a rosehead spike, hand-forged and commonly used from the 1500s through the 1700s. Oak Island teams have previously found similar spikes both near the surface and deep within the Money Pit area—many dated before 1750.

“This could be a connection between Lot 15 and the Money Pit,” Gary said. The find will be added to the expanding heat map.

Unearthing a Possible Mine or Structure Artifact

Moments later, Gary detected another metallic signal. This time, the team uncovered a pintle, a type of hardware used for gates, doors, or even lantern hanging. Such an item could have been used in historic mining shafts or early construction efforts on the island.

“It’s a really cool find that could go way back,” Gary said as they flagged the spot for further investigation.