Medieval Leather and an Iron Key: Oak Island Team Uncovers 12th-Century Clues in the Swamp

The long-running search for answers on Oak Island has taken a dramatic turn after new discoveries in the northern swamp produced what could be some of the earliest physical evidence ever found on the island.

Members of the team behind The Curse of Oak Island uncovered fragments of leather footwear and a heavy iron key-shaped artifact while excavating along a cobblestone pathway on property owned by Tom Nolan. Preliminary carbon dating results suggest the leather may date as far back as the 12th century — potentially pushing confirmed activity on the island hundreds of years earlier than previously documented.

Following the Cobblestone Trail

Rick Lagina, Craig Tester, Gary Drayton and Tom Nolan returned to the northern region of the swamp to continue tracking the projected line of a cobblestone path first identified a year ago. That path previously led the team to a mysterious brick-and-slate vault, which, while empty, suggested deliberate construction deep within the bog.

Lined with eight-sided wooden survey stakes, the pathway has become one of the most intriguing features in the swamp. The team believes it may indicate organized movement toward a hidden structure.

While excavating along the projected line, Gary Drayton spotted something unusual emerging from the soil.

“That’s leather,” he said, lifting what appeared to be the sole of a boot or shoe.

The fragment featured small, evenly spaced holes consistent with hobnails — iron studs commonly used in medieval footwear to provide traction. The construction suggested it was not stitched in the modern fashion but reinforced with nails typical of older European designs.

“It’s got an old feel about it,” Drayton observed.

Echoes of Earlier Finds

The discovery recalled a similar find in 2023 near a stone road in the swamp’s southeast corner. That earlier leather fragment was identified as European in origin and potentially dated to the 17th century.

The newly uncovered piece, however, may be far older.

Additional excavation in the same area produced thick wooden planks more than an inch wide, some containing nails. The boards appeared weathered but intact, raising speculation that they could have been part of a chest or structural enclosure.

Shortly afterward, metal detection revealed a heavy iron object shaped like an old-fashioned key. Its corroded surface obscured fine details, but its proportions suggested a traditional “spade-ended” key design often associated with early locking mechanisms.

“Have we just found the key to the swamp?” one team member asked.

The artifact will undergo CT scanning to determine whether internal features confirm its function.

Scientific Dating Produces a Shock

The most striking development came later, when preliminary carbon-14 dating results on the leather fragments were presented in the War Room.

The primary date range returned was 1148 to 1216 AD, with some outlying results suggesting even earlier origins.

“Holy smokes,” Marty Lagina reacted upon hearing the timeframe.

The dating aligns closely with research presented in 2023 by Italian archeoastronomer Adriano Gaspani. His peer-reviewed analysis of the megalithic stone formation known as Nolan’s Cross concluded that its celestial alignment corresponds to the early 13th century.

Gaspani has theorized that the cross may have been constructed by members of the Knights Templar. The leather dating bracket falls squarely within what the team has come to refer to as the “Gaspani era.”

Rick Lagina noted the convergence.

“They align perfectly with what Professor Gaspani articulated,” he said. “We’re starting to accumulate dates in the swamp.”

Implications for the Swamp and Beyond

If the dating withstands further verification, the findings would suggest organized European activity on Oak Island more than five centuries before the 1795 discovery of the Money Pit.

The swamp has increasingly become a focal point of investigation. Over the years, the team has identified a paved stone area, wooden platforms and structural anomalies beneath the bog’s surface.

The new leather fragments add organic material to a site previously dominated by stone and timber features. Organic artifacts are particularly valuable for carbon dating, offering clearer chronological anchors.

The possible key-shaped object, if confirmed as a medieval locking mechanism, would further support the idea of a secure structure — perhaps a chest or vault — in the vicinity.

Renewed Determination

Despite decades of setbacks and false leads, the team expressed renewed urgency following the announcement.

“A treasure’s never going to find itself,” Marty Lagina declared. “We have the machinery, we have the time. Let’s dig.”

Excavations are expected to intensify in the northern swamp, focusing on areas adjacent to the cobblestone path and the recently discovered planking.

While no valuables have yet been recovered from this specific dig site, the clustering of medieval-era dates strengthens the case for significant pre-18th-century activity on the island.

Whether that activity is ultimately linked to the Knights Templar, early European explorers, or another group entirely remains unresolved.

What is clear is that Oak Island’s timeline may be shifting. With each new layer removed from the swamp, the narrative grows deeper — and older.

For the team, the leather fragments and iron key represent more than isolated artifacts. They are potential pieces of a broader historical puzzle.

And in the quiet, muddy depths of the northern bog, that puzzle may finally be beginning to take shape.