Archaeologist advises dig be stopped on The Curse of Oak Island after artifact found

A dig on The Curse of Oak Island is brought to a halt by an archaeologist in a new sneak peek for Season 5 Episode 3 — after what appears to be a significant discovery.

Laird Niven, an archaeologist who has previously worked with Rick and Marty Lagina and the team on the series, is shown telling Marty as he uproots trees using an excavator: “I think we have to stop.”

It comes after Laird appears to see something in the ground that is being dug up. Marty, who is at the controls of the excavator, asks him: “You strongly suspect this is an artifact?” Laird says: “Yes, I do.”

Footage then shows a close-up of some sort of debris before Laird is seen looking through the dirt that has been dug up. Rick, appearing to refer to the incident, says in an interview with producers: “If we get a much greater understanding of what happened here, that’s what we’re looking for…answers.”

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The moment comes after footage is shown of Marty reading from a piece of paper in a meeting with other members of the Oak Island team, while saying in an interview: “Culture and Heritage has mandated that archaeologists be involved with any digging.”

It’s thought the excavation takes place close to the Money Pit area, as the clip starts with Rick saying: “Whenever you’re in close proximity to the Money Pit, you have no idea of what you might find.”

Laird was the archaeologist the team brought in at the start of Season 4 to help investigate a mysterious “hatch” they discovered.

We told last week how the description for Episode 3 revealed the treasure hunt on Oak Island faces being shut down after “alarming news”. It also sees the team find “hard evidence” of a European presence on the island — thought to be a coin — more than a century before the Money Pit was discovered.

Meanwhile, Rick Lagina recently gave a big hint that this season the team uncover evidence of some sort of link on the island to the Knights Templar.

The Curse of Oak Island airs Tuesdays at 9/8c on History.

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