Gary Drayton Appreciates Craftsmanship Through History On The Curse Of Oak Island

As the name of the channel implies, History is all about talking to audiences about the long story of the world and what society is aware of from the distant past. However, more than a few shows on its programming lineup delve into what we don't know, challenging viewers to think outside the box in hopes of understanding the mysteries of days gone by. "Ancient Aliens" is one of the most prominent that purports to do this, right alongside "The Curse of Oak Island": a series about the titular location where a crew of treasure hunters seeks out long-rumored artifacts supposedly hidden beneath the surface.

"Oak Island" kicked off way back in 2014 with the sibling duo of Marty and Rick Lagina hot on the trail of the island's secret artifacts. No matter what these mysterious objects and goodies are, they remain determined to find them, and they're far from alone in their quest. As the years have gone on, the Lagina brothers have amassed a sizeable crew around them in hopes of unearthing Oak Island's bounty as soon as possible. One such person that has joined the hunt is Gary Drayton, who has lent his metal-detecting expertise to the search with varying levels of success.

Much of what drives Drayton to help out on "The Curse of Oak Island" is his fascination with history. The items he helps find and their craftsmanship go a long way in educating him about the past.

In an interview with the official History website, Gary Drayton spoke about "The Curse of Oak Island" as well as his unique line of work. As he explained, it's a treat uncovering different artifacts — or as he calls them, "Bobby dazzlers" — for more reasons than one. Not only does the story behind them interest him, but so does the effort that went into making them. "Even if it's just an unforged square nail. I also think, 'Wow, this is beautiful.' Some craftsman made this unforged nail by hand two, three, 400 years ago, and it was probably tedious. It was...hard work, and I get to see the craftsmanship," he said.

In his time with the "Oak Island" crew, Drayton has dug up numerous fascinating items of varying size, monetary value, and historical significance. One might think it would be difficult to choose just one as his favorite, but Drayton has no trouble pointing out his top pick: a lead cross that traces its origins back to France. He told the UK History website, "To discover a medieval artifact on Oak Island, in North America, I'm proud of that, I really am. The guys even call it 'Drayton's cross'. To have an artifact named after you is pretty special." One can only hope for his sake that this isn't his last mind-blowing discovery on Oak Island.

While "The Curse of Oak Island" is far from the most dazzling or eventful show on television, it still has its moments. When discoveries are made among the dirt and rocks, it's always special, especially to someone as committed to the job as Gary Drayton.