Exactly when and why Oak Island saw its first European visitors is a mystery that has fascinated generations of researchers, treasure hunters and armchair investigators. This illustrated book draws on newly discovered artifacts found on Oak Island that prove a European presence on Oak Island hundreds of years earlier than previously thought. These surprising and authenticated items include a 5th century Roman trade token, an 11th century Chinese coin and timber from a 12th century Viking dry dock. These findings provide the foundation for author Doug Symons who explores the likelihood of visits to the island from 500 to 1200 CE by Irish Monks, Vikings and Templars. He builds on research which has been carried out by the team responsible for the History Channel’s highly successful series The Curse of Oak Island. Symons uses art, archival images and contemporary photography that illustrate how these visitors were able to make trans-Atlantic journeys many centuries before Columbus. He explains why Oak Island would have been such an attractive North American destination for these early visitors.

DOUG SYMONS taught psychology and researched at Acadia University for over 30 years. He has had a life-long interest in the Oak Island treasure hunt, which intensified over the last eleven years with the Curse of Oak Island series. This is his first book for a general readership. He lives with his wife Cate in Wolfville, Nova Scotia.

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