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Are You Watching "The Curse of Oak Island" Tonight? I Am!

1/19/2016

80 Comments

 
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If you're reading this on Tuesday night, it's probably because you're going to watch The Curse of Oak Island this evening. And you're probably going to tune in not because you find the watching-white-paint-dry-on-a-white-wall pacing engaging, but because you've been following the fantastical claims centered on the "Roman sword" from Nova Scotia and have become invested in what's going to happen next.  Don't worry - I'm not going to criticize you. I'm right there with you. You're among friends.

We may have some different reasons for why #Swordgate is fascinating, but we all care about the sword.  It's okay to care about the sword.

I've written a little bit before about why I think #Swordgate is important. I'll have more to say about that at some point in the future, after it has all run its course.​ I'm sure, in fact, that there are probably at least two publishable papers in this whole experience. There are several seriously interesting dimensions to how this has played out so far -- it's unprecedented, really, I feel lucky to have been a part of it.

As far as what's going to happen on the program tonight, I've already said what I think:

"I'm willing to bet that [Dr. Myles] McCallum comes to the same conclusion: not Roman, probably a souvenir produced in the last couple of centuries."

Assuming that I'm correct (that McCallum says it's not Roman), I think that a lot of people will be willing to stop paying attention to the sword.  A negative evaluation of the sword by an archaeologist who works in the Roman period, together with all the independent information and analysis we've generated here, will probably be enough to convince the vast majority of people who are paying attention that it's time to stick a fork in the "Roman sword."  The safe money says it's not Roman, and it actually barely even qualifies as a sword. It's probably a piece of tourist kitsch, probably purchased by someone in Italy sometime during the last century. It was probably not found during scalloping. It was probably never actually underwater. Somewhere along the line, someone got confused or made up a story about it, and the people who looked at it on the hood of a car in a Nova Scotia parking lot bought it hook, line, and sinker.

I think that's the most likely scenario, and I think that's the scenario that most reasonable people will embrace if the The Curse of Oak Island goes down how I think it will tonight.

There are some people, however, who will probably never give up on the sword. Chief among those is J. Hutton Pulitzer, who has staked all of his credibility on his interpretation that this crappy brass Hercules sword is a "smoking gun" that's going to "rewrite history." There's no backing down from that, and he hasn't. No matter what you think of Pulitzer, you have to admit that he has stuck to his guns on this one. Refusing to adjust your interpretation in the face of almost overwhelming evidence that you're wrong is not typically the best way to do science, but . . . what can I say? He has flat out lied about the evidence that suggests his interpretation is wrong, he has threatened legal action against me, and he has urged his "warriors for truth" to embark on a complaint campaign against the government of Nova Scotia, the newspapers that write critical stories about him, and anyone who will listen at The History Channel. It's been a bizarre display, and I don't think I've ever seen anything like it. I've always wondered how far Pulitzer could push his fact-free agenda. I don't think we've seen the end of the pushing yet.

It actually makes me a little bit sad to say it, but unless there's a big surprise, I think Swordgate will probably start to ramp down after tonight's discussion of the sword. It makes me a little sad because I'm still interested in solving the mystery of the origin and history of these fake Hercules swords, and I think that many of the people who have been regularly contributing to the discussions on this blog probably are also. Uncovering the real story of these things has become a more interesting pursuit than answering the "is it Roman?" question, which I think has been pretty well addressed.  I hope the discussions and information sharing related to the swords will persist, but I worry that they won't once the drama is gone.  I think the drama and urgency that made Swordgate fun was important to the emergence of the critical mass that made it possible to generate the leads and data to address the issue. With no "smoking gun" to evaluate, interest will fade. I'll pack up my Roman sword, get on my unicorn, and ride off into the sunset to do archaeology, teach my classes, and write more about things that I think are cool but few other people care about (like dragonflies, my work in South Carolina, "giants," etc.).

Swordgate has been a blast. I'd do it all over again.

​Cue the denouement music, pop the popcorn, and let's see what goes down. I'm going to have a drink and enjoy the show. I've got some paint drying on the wall just in case I need something more exciting to distract myself with while they're standing around an empty hole in the ground.


Update (1/19/2016): Here's the elemental composition of the sword. It's modern brass (high zinc content).
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Update (1/20/2016): Myles McCallum has given me permission to publish a list of his observations about the sword.

Update (1/20/2016): This blog post was featured in today's Investigating History Daily, Pulitzer's own (apparently self-generated) daily newspaper. Thanks for the exposure!
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Update (1/25/2016): Here is Christa Brosseau's summary of the analyses she performed on the Nova Scotia sword.
80 Comments
Kris Lawhorn
1/19/2016 04:41:21 pm

You have to get to the bottom of this!

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J m hume
1/19/2016 04:43:05 pm

What bothers me a bit is that nothing is ever conclusively ruled out on this show. It loves words like "maybe" , and "probably", and "what if". We know what the sword is and i am sure that they do also. I hope they do right thing.

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Pablo
1/19/2016 05:05:48 pm

That is the case of other shows on the Histery Channel like "Monsterquest", lots of suspense music, movement triggered cameras that don't register anything. They never find anything, it's just build up to zero.

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Andy White
1/19/2016 05:54:13 pm

It's a metaphor.

Ben Scott
1/20/2016 05:53:30 am

It's what keeps us hanging on. I wouldn't want to watch this show in one night on the NatGeo channel...I love the fact they draw it out and make me excited to the upcoming episode. Instant gradification is great in some instances but some things are nice to savor and desire. I can't wait to see the treasure. It's like buying a lottery ticket and having the week to dream about what you'll do with the money.

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Dan P
1/19/2016 04:46:15 pm

I bet you don't really even have a unicorn to ride off on. STOP HIDING THE TRUTH ANDY.

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Andy White
1/19/2016 04:52:09 pm

I love you Dan. Don't ever change.

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Jonathan Feinstein
1/19/2016 05:33:01 pm

Oh, Dan... What is truth, anyway

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Jonathan Feinstein
1/19/2016 05:31:58 pm

Nice fork!

My popcorn is popping and I'm ready. I don't expect more than a "Maybe, maybe not," but we shall see.

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Andy White
1/19/2016 05:52:07 pm

Maybe McCallum with notice a "Made in China" stamp that everyone else missed.

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Killbuck
1/19/2016 05:52:15 pm

I decided to forego the popcorn. I've opted for a small bottle of rum... yo ho... I miss the pirate angle in past that shows. But the Hystery Channel doph... ... HISTORY Channel, ran a COOI marathon so I got caught up, a bit. It was mostly in the background behind my easel. It's astonishing how little can happen over so much time.

My paint dries too, but on canvases to be painted for clients in coming days; none of which involve edged weapons...


or the arc...

or the manuscripts of Shakespeare...



or the lost Minora...



or Templars...


(oh the bloody Templars)

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Andy White
1/19/2016 05:56:40 pm

All the people sitting around the "war room" with clasped hands oohing and aahing over the sword. Telling the Commodus story. "Supposedly."

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Graham
1/19/2016 05:57:53 pm

It'll either be a 'maybe' or after the episode McCallum is going to complain that they cut his material to get him to say whatever the producers wanted.

As for pseudohistory, I'm predicting a bumper crop of papers trying to prove that the Olmecs came from Africa, because the idea that the first people from the Eurasian continent to reach the Americas after the ancestors of the native American peoples were Europeans (The Norse for which hard evidence exists.) is just too racist to be allowed to stand.

Which would be somewhat ironic since the only evidence for the Olmec claim is as superficialy racist as you can get.

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Andy White
1/19/2016 06:05:03 pm

Red Flag #1: Mold line.

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Mike Morgan
1/20/2016 02:44:12 am

And when Dr. Mcallum was holding the MOAFHS, the "J" mak was very clearly visible.

The long closeup as they panned over the sword in the after show really brought the "J" and when they panned to the hilt, the joining area along Herc's body was very evident also.

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Mike Morgan
1/20/2016 10:31:11 pm

Pulitzer commenting on mold line on his Facebook group 1/20/2015.

"What of the seam along the side? It was poured in two molds and then assembled. That is troublesome to me.

Hutton Pulitzer: that is what they said on TV it looks like, but I have personally handled and photographed the sword and that is not a "bifurcated mold seam" but where they were sanding the side - that ONE side- to see if the handle was made of gold or silver. See, there was an agenda, and that handle is not hollow nor a two piece mold. The past owners knew there was both gold and silver (and lost of it especially silver but TV did not mention that) and they were trying to see if it was solid, thus they made the very marks. BUT they intentionally did NOT show you the other side which SHOWS it is one solid lost wax formation. FACTS MATTER see photo
Hutton Pulitzer's photo: https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=453944394808889&set=p.453944394808889&type=3&theater

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Andy White
1/19/2016 06:06:52 pm

These guys had no idea how many of these things were floating around out there.

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Peter Geuzen
1/19/2016 06:37:24 pm

Scientifically...they would be sinking

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Andy White
1/19/2016 06:38:50 pm

Not in zero gravity.

Mike morgan
1/20/2016 02:33:10 am

To be fair, this program was in the can long before "Swordgate" broke.

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The Curator
1/19/2016 06:10:43 pm

Andy, I've also followed this amazing exercise with interest - it's a great example of crowdsourcing at its best, bringing expertise together to solve a question. I raise my glass to all of you!

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killbuck
1/19/2016 06:13:47 pm

Yo ho! **hick**

Dragging this out... this feels 'ale labor pains.

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Andy White
1/19/2016 06:14:49 pm

Wanna bet on brass not bronze? Zinc content over 30% - I'll put down twenty bucks.

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Jonathan Feinstein
1/19/2016 06:59:01 pm

You win that one!

Actually I'm amazed just how definitively they ruled this out . They did not quite say "Fake,' but you could see they knew it had nothing to do with anything on the island.

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Andy White
1/19/2016 07:01:30 pm

Nobody bet me. That's a shame.

Jonathan Feinstein
1/19/2016 07:06:09 pm

In this crowd,? It was a sucker bet. I was just telling a friend a few hours ago I thought it was brass.

Andy White
1/19/2016 07:41:28 pm

Where are Sergio, and Javier, and Jim Stella, and David L. Ulrich when you need them? They must have other stuff to do that's more important than rewriting the history books.

Bobby B.
1/19/2016 06:17:54 pm

Eel grass and coconut fiber. I believe that is what killed Curly.

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Killbuck
1/19/2016 06:21:31 pm

Just remember this is all in real time... about a year ago.

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Andy White
1/19/2016 06:23:15 pm

With as many parts of this story that appear to be phony, I'm starting to doubt that Nova Scotia actually exists.

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killbuck
1/19/2016 06:32:08 pm

The book and movie "Digging Holes" comes to mind and was far more pointlessly entertaining.

My labor contractions are getting more frequent btw.

Andy White
1/19/2016 06:33:50 pm

I'll be eligible for Social Security by the time they talk about sword again.

Peter Geuzen
1/19/2016 06:22:08 pm

http://imgur.com/vtWWj95

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Bobby B.
1/19/2016 06:43:07 pm

That guy's theory had a toy to go along with it. I don't know about the science, but a toy to go along with the theory is confirmation enough for me. Now, let me get my G.I. Joe figures, and the real fun can begin.

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Killbuck
1/19/2016 06:48:00 pm

Introducing the Lego Money Pit Playset?


But wait, there's more. Stay tooned....

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Bobby B.
1/19/2016 06:52:29 pm

The Curse of Lego Island.

Andy White
1/19/2016 06:44:12 pm

This nonsense just offends all my sensibilities as someone who tries to think systematically about how to solve a problem. What a bunch of silliness.

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Eric
1/20/2016 05:21:24 am

It offends me as a historian. The thing that bothers me is the angle that everything is some conspiracy, that instead of using the fringe nonsense as a launching pad to discuss real history, the Lagina brothers (who I actually find personable and likable) are forced to endure the parade of charlatans and fringe theorists that the producers feel compelled to trot out every week. It offends me as a Catholic that the Templars/Freemason conspiracy theories, which are often thinly veiled attacks on the Catholic Church and shade off into antisemitism as well, get so much airing. (there's some anthropology for you-the racist culture of the fringe history movement) Personally, I don't watch the show-I knew what it was going to be from the outset, but I'm not the target audience. Why am I concerned, then, about some laughable buffoon hawking a toy sword? Because the audience this type of program is directed to is being spoon fed childish nonsense. Cable TV is a vast wasteland of misinformation-it is swamping the marketplace of ideas. History is important, and it can reach a wider audience than academics-if we make an effort.

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Andy White
1/19/2016 06:52:08 pm

And the verdict is . . . brass!

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Andy White
1/19/2016 06:52:41 pm

High zinc = modern brass. Post 1880/1890.

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killbuck
1/19/2016 06:53:07 pm

Boom!!

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Andy White
1/19/2016 06:53:25 pm

Marty Lagina: "This thing is dead."

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Bobby B.
1/19/2016 06:57:11 pm

B...But it's a 100% confirmed smoking gun! Those pesky scientists must be covering this up.

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Jonathan Feinstein
1/19/2016 07:01:39 pm

We need the sound track to go :Wa, wa, waaaa!

The Curator
1/19/2016 07:03:09 pm

Cheers!

Cleo
1/19/2016 07:41:57 pm

And there we have it. It played out exactly as I suspected. The Laginas come out looking good (giving credibility to their endeavor) and Pulitzer is hung out to dry publicly.

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Killbuck
1/19/2016 06:55:47 pm

It's a BOY!

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Peter Geuzen
1/19/2016 07:08:04 pm

JHP responds

https://katch.me/HuttonPulitzer/v/f321cf72-2859-3b34-9c62-a9f792ea847f

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Jonathan Feinstein
1/19/2016 07:11:30 pm

Amazing! He's actually standing by his claim of XRF testing and wonders why they didn't mention the arsenic...

My answer: because it was just brass and the arsenic was not there to be found... but what do I know?

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Andy White
1/19/2016 07:14:00 pm

Wow. What a hot mess that was. I believe him that he did get different results, but I believe what we'll find is that he used a portable XRF and probably didn't do the proper prep of the surface. He may have taken his readings mostly on the patina rather than an unpatinated piece of the base metal. Methods matter. I'll trust the women who works in the lab with metals all the time rather than the the guy with a gizmo belt and towel-wrapped sword on the hood of a car. Busted.

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Peter Geuzen
1/19/2016 07:18:36 pm

I wonder if he'll throw one of his 'Team' under the bus and deflect blame.

Andy White
1/19/2016 07:22:02 pm

You really think there's a "team"?

Peter Geuzen
1/19/2016 07:28:08 pm

In his 15 minutes on the island he had 'Beast', 'Frog', and 'Flash' with him.

Cleo
1/19/2016 08:06:45 pm

Seeing that these gizmos are usually treated chemically to patinate them, that would certainly be a problem to avoid. Really low tin content.

killbuck
1/19/2016 07:10:08 pm

Pulitzer just tweeted that he does not know what to say.

But just followed by a video where he says that their tests are wrong, they missed the arsenic, they will get their team together and find out what is going on, all the while looking like everybody just saw him naked.

His followers typed in cover up, etc.

But oh yeah, ding dong the wicked sword is dead.

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Peter Geuzen
1/19/2016 07:41:48 pm

If he releases his XRF will he also release the XRF for the real one he said he tested, and will he identity his Roman Antiquities experts and their reports, and documentation on the known examples in private collections, and his documentation of the comparison analysis to the one in the museum in Pompeii or was it Naples or was it the British museum, I couldn’t keep track, maybe all three have one?

On another note, where do I go to get a refund on my pre-order book deposit?

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Killbuck
1/19/2016 07:48:48 pm

You can't. But you can redeem it for items in the Treasure Force Gift Shop. They have a sale going on now, uniforms, berets, XRF Analyzers- only slightly used.

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Andy White
1/19/2016 07:49:55 pm

He'll come up with some story that will probably satisfy some of the people who really want to believe this nonsense. I think he was genuinely shocked and surprised by the results on the show ("looking like everybody just saw him naked" was a good description. Enjoy the shock and awe while you can - I know I will.

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Holly McFad
1/19/2016 07:48:19 pm

Well...what can I say except the "roman" sword is a farce! just like huttton.

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Killbuck
1/19/2016 07:58:14 pm

Oh hell, I'm going to go to Design Toscano and order one of those puppies. A memento of a truly fascinating moment in time.

Perhaps that sword is more endearing than I originally thought.

Cheers all and have a very good night.

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Peter Geuzen
1/19/2016 07:52:35 pm

Here he goes, damage control mode:

https://katch.me/HuttonPulitzer/v/8cdce979-f54b-38d0-a155-b51154109bb4

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Andy White
1/19/2016 07:58:58 pm

I'm watching this. He's digging the hole deeper while simultaneously demonstrating that he STILL DOESN'T UNDERSTAND THESE SWORDS. He says to line up the Nova Scotia sword, the Florida sword, and swords that we haven't seen in Naples and the Netherlands and do the same non-destructive surface XRF that he did without actually exposing the base metal. If they're all replicas, they're all going to give you the same result. None of them is authentic. Get real.

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Peter Geuzen
1/19/2016 08:05:01 pm

Bizzaro, acting like he has a say and is still involved and like people will listen to him.

Andy White
1/19/2016 08:06:50 pm

All the stuff he says in this video - that's all fine and that's what he should have done prior to announcing he had a "Roman sword." In fact, it seems to me that he's said before that at least some of these comparisons have already been done. But, wait, maybe they haven't? At least this will call his bluff on the "Naples Museum" sword.

But the main point remains: if they're all fake Hercules swords, what does a comparative test tell you? Point me to one piece of information that suggests any of these is real. Just one.

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Peter Geuzen
1/19/2016 08:12:09 pm

I can't so I'm going to bed. G'night !!! :)

Let's pick it up in the morning.

Cleo
1/19/2016 08:55:39 pm

He also announced he had concrete proof of a Roman wreck. Now he's stuck trying to explain why a so-called copy of an authentic sword is on a Roman wreck site near OI. Very soon it will be a copy of a real Roman wreck containing a copy of a sword that just proves the original must lay there somewhere--why else would there be copies of both?

Clint Knapp
1/19/2016 10:46:12 pm

Little late to the pity party, but I just tried to check out Pulitzer's response video and got a "No playable sources found" error. Seems to have disappeared already.

Weatherwax
1/19/2016 08:27:28 pm

I'm sorry, it's the composition of which sword? The Treasure Island sword?

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Andy White
1/19/2016 08:54:32 pm

Yes. The purported "Roman sword" from Nova Scotia is made from post-1880 brass. In other words, it's a modern creation, not a Roman artifact. We pretty much knew that, but the independent confirmation was nice.

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Clint Knapp
1/19/2016 10:53:46 pm

I didn't watch the episode because I had more interesting things to do with my night, but I'll be looking forward to a total breakdown either here or on Jason's site (or both!).

From a purely spectator's perspective, I've enjoyed watching the whole thing unfold. You, and all of the contributors here, have done an excellent job tracking down all the leads on this thing and getting real information out ahead of the show's own reveals.

I'll toss my hat in as one of the people still interested in learning the true provenance of these swords just for the sake of solving the mystery. It's been a more interesting journey than the stories Pulitzer and crew are putting forth, and if you ever do assemble a complete paper on the endeavor, I'd love to read it.

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Tony
1/20/2016 01:51:12 am

Well done Andy White!!! Bravo!!!

Am I the only one who started feeling sympathetic about Jovon Pulitzer? Oh boy! How is he going to face the world?

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Mike Morgan
1/20/2016 02:04:28 am

Just some telling comments from Pulitzers "Curse of Oak Island (New -NO Drama - Official)" facebook group I found interesting.

"What about your video you posted about the sword and all who had investigated it stating its real? I'm confused"

"Why do the tests conflict each Other?"

Hutton Pulitzer: "Yes their stats are no where near the actual set test. At all and she was bright red delivering the test results. Somethings a miss"

"Why would the professors, historians and all who are authorized say it's true and this metallurgist says otherwise? With all other Roman artifacts that are found in the same area, how can she and the others dispute it? It doesn't make sense"

Hutton Pulitzer: "she was not a metalurgist she was a Catholic university professor" (Wow! Brings back memories of when he made Andy a jr.college teacher.)

"Rick knows of your test results. Hutton, you showed us the picture of the sword under the newspaper when you were with Rick. Why is he allowing these tests when he must know of your results. I feel like I'm watching a circus show"

"Your right Hutton, anyone that knows anything about testing metals will know it wasnt tested properly."

"What they did is no better than what they test for in your water.. It wasn't done correctly."

Asked to a believer: "What information has you convinced the sword is real? What testing other than the testing done on tv has you convinced the sword is real? I'm just trying to have a friendly conversation

"we have faith in our man H P for one"

(I edited this one.)
"Those idiots in the other groups should know that Hutton Pulitzer and his team is better qualified than an army of academics or educated lab technicians could ever be! You f**k wads... Hutton has years of feild experience and has lived history. He
has dedicated his life to bringing the truth out from behind the skirts of academic sell outs. Google gives him access to more truth than 4 f**king years of studying your censored history books in college. G** dammit, those guys should learn to think critically and embrace goddamn reason for once in your g**damed lives!
Like hutton has told us, he fianaces his truthbreaking research with his own money. You know what that means? It means unbiased testing. Something you don;t get from TV and big business. These people make me mad."

"the same jerks attacking H P got to the shows producers too and now they win ... i mean a producer was found dead praying"

At last, a voice of reason.
"Pretty disappointed in what you've been preaching about the sword after seeing the episode."

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Jonathan Feinstein
1/20/2016 03:34:47 am

Gotta love it. Normally during an election year you only see this degree of fertilizer spewing from the mouths of politicians, but I guess the crops are going to be plentiful once the growing season starts.

Someone said Pulitzer missed his calling as a Carny barker, but watching him tonight I don't think he's fast enough on the draw to handle that job. I think he really believes what he is saying because if he didn't he would have had his rebuttal ready, or just ignored the sword and had a new "find" a few days ago so he would jabber on about that instead. I guess he's just an amateur con-artist and that's so sad. Even von Daniken and Hancock were more convincing.

Otoh, what's scary are some of his supporters who are loyal to the point of making me wonder if they can walk and breathe at the same time.

One think I wish were true; that there really was an academic cabal intent on controlling the world through the study of history, archaeology, chemistry, paleontology, etc. I might have stayed in Academe and risen to the rank of Doctor Professor Emperor. LOL

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Mike Morgan
1/20/2016 04:18:19 am

An Emperor needs a sword. Need help in finding one?

Jonathan Feinstein
1/20/2016 04:38:55 am

No problem! I have one on order from Design Toscano.

Mike Morgan
1/20/2016 03:09:18 am

Andy, I don't recall whether you've already covered this or not. We know Pulitzer claims "magical" properties for the MOAFHS because of a built in loadstone and I believe David Kenney also claims the same for the Florida sword. Did you find a "magical" loadstone in the California Sword? I assume you will check Trevor Furlotte's sword also when it arrives.

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Jonathan Feinstein
1/20/2016 03:57:34 am

I didn't bring this up before but the whole lodestone theory is bunk (shocking, I know). Even if they did try such a thing, but most magnetite is not strongly magnetic enough to pull the mass of a sword to point to magnetic north (which was mentioned) but even if this sword were bronze, casting with a core of magnetite would be useless because it loses it's magnetism at about 585C while bronze melts at 850-1000 C (depending on the actual alloy.)

Of course these swords are not bronze, they are modern brass (and some are cast iron) so the whole lodestone thing doesn't apply, but if these really were Roman swords we have to admit that the Romans were competent enough metallurgists and engineers that they would have realized from the first attempt that casting lodestone into a bronze sword would not work.

Similarly, forging an iron/steel sword using magnetite as the ore would not create a magnetic sword either. I have assisted a friend who built a bloomer furnace to produce iron using magnetite as an ore. The bloomery iron produces was definitely not magnetic. You could magnetize an iron sword, of course, but I don't know if you could magnetize it sufficiently to act as a compass.

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Pablo
1/20/2016 04:19:23 am

What was published all over the place was that "the sword has an ancient ocean navigational device built into it which causes the sword to point true north." Is not even just magnetism.

Too bad that the test performed didn't show the "device" lol

Mike Morgan
1/20/2016 05:40:05 am

Thank you Jonathan, for that information, we now know why a loadstone could not be incorporated into the sword. I had raised the question on either another of Andy's blog or on Jason's, about how such a heavy object could possibly be used as a pointer considering the weak pull of the earths magnetic field. Of course Pulitzer never saw my query, but he did address the "magical qualities" in one of his webcast rants. He laughed and foolishly giggled for a bit, then said, and I am paraphrasing, "The swords not (making air quotes) magical. Of course I don't believe it's (air quotes) magical. It has a loadstone in his club and it works with a needle and water."

I also just went to David Kenney's site, and I stand corrected. I do not now see any reference to any magnetic qualities claimed for his sword.

Killbuck
1/20/2016 05:56:32 am

Mike- through the process of therefore deduction, the lab that did the testing on the show OBVIOUSLY as we now SEE, being under the thumb of the Vatican, conveniently and OBVIOUSLY missed the very high percentage of styrofoam in the sword's composition which allowed the Roman navigators to float the sword in water.

All snarking aside, where is JHP going to get the Original Naples Sword from to do his side by side tests? Naples Florida? It has not turned up in the Naples Museum yet. But this does allow for the issue to be pushed off until later, and meanwhile provide ample time to weave a crazy quilt of conspiratorial reasons why the Oak Island artifact are being hidden from history. He set that up days ago in tweets, so he could say he already predicted this would happen.

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