Emma Culligan is a Canadian archaeometallurgist, engineer, and television personality who gained widespread recognition through her role on the History Channel’s reality series The Curse of Oak Island. She is known for her unique blend of archaeology, engineering, and metallurgy expertise, which has made her an invaluable asset to the treasure-hunting team. The television star’s multidisciplinary background and groundbreaking discoveries have transformed her into a fan favorite since joining the show in 2022.
Emma Culligan Wikipedia
| Field | Details |
| Full name | Emma Culligan |
| Gender | Female |
| Date of birth | August 11, 1992 (unconfirmed) |
| Age | Approximately 32-33 years old (as of 2025) |
| Place of birth | Japan |
| Current residence | Bridgewater, Nova Scotia, Canada |
| Nationality | Canadian, Japanese |
| Ethnicity | Mixed (Caucasian with Japanese ancestry) |
| Zodiac sign | Leo (if born August 11) |
| Religion | Unknown |
| Sexual orientation | Straight |
| Height | 5 feet 1 inch (155 cm) |
| Weight | Approximately 117 lbs (53 kg) |
| Hair colour | Brown |
| Eye colour | Brown |
| Marital status | Unknown |
| Spouse | N/A |
| Children | None publicly known |
| Siblings | Two (names not disclosed) |
| Mother | Shirley Hardin |
| Alma mater | Dalhousie University, Memorial University of Newfoundland |
| Profession | Archaeometallurgist, engineer, television personality |
| Net worth | Estimated $200,000-$500,000 |
| Social media | Instagram: @emma_anastazi (16K followers) |
Who is Emma Culligan?
Emma Culligan is a Canadian archaeometallurgist who rose to prominence through her appearances on The Curse of Oak Island. She joined the History Channel reality series in season 10 in 2022 and has since become one of the most beloved cast members. The television personality operates the XRF system on Oak Island, analyzing artifacts and metals discovered during excavations.
Her unique combination of engineering, archaeology, and metallurgy expertise sets her apart in her field. Emma studied at Memorial University of Newfoundland, where she developed a specialized niche that would later prove invaluable to the Oak Island treasure hunt. She uses advanced techniques like XRF and XRD to examine metals and artifacts, helping the team determine the age and origin of their discoveries.
How old is Emma Culligan? Age and birthday
Emma Culligan is approximately 32 to 33 years old as of 2025. While her exact birthdate has not been publicly confirmed, some sources suggest she was born on August 11, 1992, which would make her zodiac sign Leo. The archaeologist started her college education around 2010, which aligns with the typical age for university enrollment in Canada.
What is Emma Culligan’s net worth?
As of 2025, Emma Culligan’s net worth is estimated to be between $200,000 and $500,000. The television personality has built her wealth through multiple income streams. Her primary earnings come from her role on The Curse of Oak Island, though her exact salary per episode has not been disclosed publicly.
Industry sources suggest that supporting cast members on the show earn between $10,000 and $25,000 per episode. In Canada, archaeologists earn an average annual salary of $85,179, while metallurgists make approximately $103,000 per year. Emma’s specialized skills in both fields likely place her earnings in the higher range of these professions.
Beyond her television work, Culligan has also worked as a materials technician and research assistant, contributing to her overall net worth. Her expertise in archaeometallurgy continues to be in high demand within both academic and entertainment circles.
Emma Culligan’s career
Early career beginnings
Emma Culligan began her professional journey in various engineering and archaeology-related positions. She worked as a guest relations representative at a zoo in Calgary and completed an internship at the Nova Scotia Department of Transportation and Infrastructure Renewal in Hebbville. These early experiences helped her develop practical skills that would later prove valuable in her specialized field.
She then worked as a material technician at Amec Foster Wheeler, where she gained hands-on experience with materials analysis. This position allowed her to apply her engineering knowledge in real-world scenarios and develop technical expertise that would become central to her later work.
Landing her dream job
In 2018, Emma secured what she describes as her dream position at Frontier Subsea Inc. She frequently shared her experiences at this company on her Instagram account, showcasing her passion for her work. This role helped her refine her technical skills and prepare for the opportunity that would change her life.
Joining The Curse of Oak Island
Emma’s breakthrough came in 2022 when she joined the cast of The Curse of Oak Island for season 10. The opportunity came about in an unexpected way. Someone involved with the show had initially approached her about a personal assistant position and requested her resume. However, when fellow archaeologist and cast member Laird Niven reviewed her impressive qualifications, he offered her a much more substantial role running the XRV system on Oak Island instead.
Emma initially thought the job offer was spam mail and almost ignored it. She confessed during an appearance on The Curse of Oak Island & Beyond Podcast that she was skeptical about the authenticity of the offer. However, it turned out to be legitimate and became her big break into television.
Major discoveries on Oak Island
Since joining the show, Emma has made several significant contributions to the treasure hunt. In her first episode titled “On Their Marks,” she used CT scanning to analyze a piece of metal and determined it was likely a bunk hook historically used with cargo ships. This discovery sparked speculation about treasure-laden ships being active near the island.
In season 12’s premiere episode “The New Digs,” Emma confirmed through XRF mapping that a quartered coin fragment found by metal detectorist Gary Drayton was a silver English shilling from the 1690s. This revelation led to theories connecting the find to 17th-century seafarer Sir William Phips, who allegedly buried treasure on Oak Island.
Most recently in season 12, Emma examined a coin found in Lot 5 and discovered it was made of an unusual alloy containing 70% copper and 16% lead. These discoveries have established her as a crucial member of the team and earned her widespread praise from viewers.
Current role and responsibilities
Today, Emma continues to serve as the archaeometallurgist for The Curse of Oak Island. She uses advanced analytical techniques like X-ray fluorescence and X-ray diffraction to examine artifacts brought in from excavations. Her ability to determine the composition, age, and origin of materials has been instrumental in piecing together Oak Island’s mysterious history.
The television personality operates sophisticated equipment in the show’s laboratory and regularly collaborates with other team members to interpret findings. Her down-to-earth personality and genuine enthusiasm for her work have made her a fan favorite on the show.
Is Emma Culligan married? Husband, partner, relationship status and personal life
As of December 2025, Emma Culligan’s marital status remains unknown. The television personality prefers to keep her romantic life private and has not publicly shared information about having a husband or boyfriend. Despite sharing various aspects of her life on her Instagram account @emma_anastazi, she has never posted content regarding a romantic partner.
Fans of The Curse of Oak Island have expressed curiosity about whether Emma is dating anyone. However, she maintains strict privacy boundaries when it comes to her love life. There is no public information available about Emma having children or being engaged.
Emma Culligan’s family and background
Emma Culligan grew up in an interesting multicultural environment. She was born in Japan and spent much of her early life there before moving to Canada. Japanese was her first language, and she did not begin learning English until she was approximately 15 years old. This unique upbringing gives her fluency in both Japanese and English.
Her mother is Shirley Hardin, whom Emma has affectionately described as “pocket-sized” in social media posts. Emma shares a close relationship with her mother, stating that despite occasional differences, they always see “heart to heart.” The family has both Caucasian and Japanese ancestry, reflecting Emma’s multicultural background.
Emma has two siblings whose names have not been publicly disclosed. According to some sources, her brother’s name is Luke and her sister’s name is Meg, though Emma keeps details about her siblings relatively private. She occasionally shares posts about her family on Instagram, often including captions in Japanese to honor her heritage.
The archaeologist frequently posts about her visits to Japan on social media, demonstrating her continued connection to the country where she spent her formative years. This international background has likely contributed to her unique perspective and approach to archaeology and engineering.
Emma Culligan’s height and weight
Emma Culligan stands 5 feet 1 inch tall, which is approximately 155 centimeters. She weighs around 117 pounds or 53 kilograms. The television personality has brown hair and brown eyes, and maintains a healthy physique suitable for her active work in archaeology and field research.
Some fans have noted that Emma often appears taller on the show, which may be attributed to her choice of footwear or camera angles. Her petite stature has not hindered her ability to perform demanding fieldwork or operate complex laboratory equipment.
Emma Culligan’s educational background
Emma Culligan’s educational journey reflects her commitment to creating a specialized niche for herself. She initially began her higher education at Dalhousie University in Halifax, Nova Scotia, where she studied engineering. However, she later transferred to Memorial University of Newfoundland to pursue her dual interests in civil engineering and archaeology.
At Memorial University, Emma completed her bachelor’s degree in both civil engineering and archaeology. This unusual combination of disciplines would later become her signature strength. While studying at Memorial, she also worked as a research assistant in the archaeology department, gaining valuable hands-on experience.
During her time at university, one of her professors encouraged her to add metallurgy to her skill set. Taking this advice, Emma spent several years analyzing iron using a scanning electron microscope. This additional specialization in metallurgy completed the unique trifecta of expertise that would make her invaluable to The Curse of Oak Island team.
Emma has described her educational path as creating “a niche I wanted to create for myself.” Her deliberate combination of engineering, archaeology, and metallurgy demonstrates forward-thinking career planning that has paid dividends in her professional life.
Fast facts about Emma Culligan
- Multilingual background: Emma grew up in Japan and spoke Japanese as her first language before learning English at age 15.
- Thought the job offer was spam: When initially contacted about joining The Curse of Oak Island, Emma believed it was a scam and almost ignored the opportunity.
- Operates advanced technology: She runs the XRF and XRD systems on Oak Island, using X-ray technology to analyze metal artifacts.
- Triple expertise: Emma holds degrees in archaeology, engineering, and metallurgy from Memorial University of Newfoundland.
- Social media presence: She maintains an Instagram account @emma_anastazi with approximately 16,000 followers as of 2025.
- Made immediate impact: In her very first episode appearance, Emma identified a bunk hook that suggested pirate activity near Oak Island.
- Fan favorite status: Despite being on the show for only three seasons, she has become one of the most beloved cast members.
- Private personal life: Emma keeps her romantic relationships and much of her personal life away from public scrutiny.
- Connected to William Phips mystery: Her analysis of a 1690s silver shilling supported theories about Sir William Phips burying treasure on Oak Island.
- Continues active research: Beyond the show, Emma remains engaged in archaeological and metallurgical research in Nova Scotia.
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Wrapping up
Emma Culligan has established herself as a remarkable figure in the world of archaeology and reality television. Her unique combination of engineering, archaeology, and metallurgy expertise has made her an indispensable member of The Curse of Oak Island team. As of December 2025, the 32-year-old Canadian archaeometallurgist continues to make significant discoveries while maintaining her privacy regarding her personal life and marital status. Her journey from growing up in Japan to becoming a television personality demonstrates dedication to her specialized field and passion for uncovering historical mysteries.
References
- “Emma Culligan: The Curse Of Oak Island’s Archaeologist Job Explained.” Screen Rant.
- “Is Emma Culligan married? Here’s everything you should know.” TUKO.co.ke.
- “‘The Curse of Oak Island’ Star Emma Culligan Is a Fan Favorite.” Distractify.
- “What Happened To Emma Culligan After The Curse Of Oak Island Season 12?” Screen Rant.
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