The Curse of Oak Island: Sacred numbers in Nolan’s cross pinpoint the Money Pit

The Curse of Oak Island returned this week with a compelling theory that argued Nolan’s cross was constructed using sacred geometric numbers which point to Templar knights and the Money Pit.

This week’s episode began with a bit of fanfare as the troops gathered at the garden shaft. This gave Rick Lagina the opportunity to give one of his speeches before dramatically unlocking a trap door covering the garden shaft. The team then left Dumas to get on with excavating the shaft.

In the meantime, everyone gathered in the War Room to hear the intriguing theory of Brian Pharoah. Brian has been examining the dimensions of Nolan’s cross and has concluded that it holds the key to the whereabouts of the Money Pit.

Named after its discoverer, landowner Fred Nolan, the stone feature includes a number of large boulders that resemble the shape of a giant cross.

Brian called the cross a “megalithic and mathematic phenomenon” and claimed it is constructed using sacred geometry.

This is a practice, common amongst ancient Christian builders, of using so-called “sacred numbers” as measurements in the construction of a building or feature.

Sacred Christian numbers on Nolan’s cross point to the Money Pit

There are many numbers that are considered sacred, but Brian claimed that six particular numbers show through on Nolan’s cross. These are 144, 288, 360, 432, 740, and 864.

Brian stated that these numbers were used in the construction measurements of iconic Christian sites such as Chartres Cathedral in France, Rosslyn Chapel in Scotland, and even Temple Mount in Jerusalem.

The Nolan’s cross expert then showed the guys a series of graphs where he had plotted how these numbers kept appearing in the cross’s dimensions.

Brian measured the horizontal and vertical parts of the cross along with the head. He also drew a circle encompassing the cross points and measured the length, width, and radius. And these numbers kept appearing in the measurements.

If a number didn’t look right, Brian would convert it from feet into inches, and, voilà, there would be a sacred number.

Brian had even more shocking information for the gang. Using a circle, he drew straight lines out from the center and each point of the cross and found they intersected at a point that landed just a few feet to the west of the garden shaft. This would be a helluva coincidence.

The theorist declared that this was the location of the Money Pit. Combined with the precious metal in the water and the network of tunnels recently uncovered, it really seems as though everything is pointing to the Money Pit.

Craig Tester joked that they should have had Brian “in years ago,” as he would have “saved [them] some time.”

Brian Pharoah says only Templar knights had the expertise

The Fellowship asked Brian who could have built the Money Pit and left Nolan’s cross as a marker. He had no doubt. He said only the Templar Knights would have the ability and the know-how to put such an operation together.

As is always the case with the Fellowship, they wanted to immediately put Brian’s theory to the test and start drilling straight away. But they have to wait for Dumas to finish excavating the garden shaft first. Luckily, the guys can probably combine the two tasks and have Dumas check out the spot as soon as they have the chance.

By the end of the episode, Dumas had already completed the first two levels at the garden shaft. And then a hammer grab made a return to Oak Island, scooping out vast quantities of debris. Rick impatiently watched the process, but it shouldn’t be too long before he gets to explore underground.

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