Niven’s historical past explains why he is typically much less more likely to lose it over each little discovery than among the different crew members — he is used to gradual, methodical archaeological work, the place world-shattering discoveries are unlikely to show up on a weekly foundation. Figuring out his lengthy expertise surveying Birchtown’s Black loyalist settlement additionally helps to grasp why he is briefly a much less outstanding on-screen presence when “The Curse of Oak Island” brings in different archaeologists. He merely makes use of that point to give attention to the road of investigation that includes surveying the property of rich former slave Samuel Ball, which will not be fairly as thrilling for filming functions however permits some respiration house and yields extra artifacts than these recounted on the present.
Even when precise notable discoveries occur on the collection, it isn’t essentially what you’d name Indiana Jones archaeology. When Niven discovers remnants of First Nations pottery on the island in Season 9, Nova Scotia’s Division of Communities, Tradition and Heritage and the Acadia First Nation council quickly pressure the archeologists to depart Oak Island and take over. Solely Niven stays.
After this incident, Niven has change into extra of an advisor than an lively archaeologist — which, based mostly on the variety of his appearances after the incident, has freed up time from his surveying schedule and led to an elevated display screen presence. Whether or not he works away from the cameras or in entrance of them, Niven has carved out a vital position on the crew that is tirelessly looking for out the reality about Oak Island.