What is a gnomon in Outer Banks season 3?

It’s time to get your binge on, Netflix fans, because Outer Banks season 3 is here! Finally, the next 10 episodes in the Pogues’ journey have arrived, and they are everything fans could hope for. The new season takes place where we left off in season 2 with our favorite characters as they’re living out on their own in Poguelandia. Unfortunately, however, they don’t stay much longer and have to venture back home. And it’s not an easy trek, especially after learning there’s a man named Carlos Singh who’s after them and John B’s father Big John.

Spoilers ahead for Outer Banks season 3.

As it turns out, it’s not just Big John who’s looking for the buried treasure, and after John B is reunited with his dad, they face many obstacles. Despite being back with his son, all Big John wants to do is find the gold, and will do anything in his power to get closer to it. This leads the two into dangerous situations numerous times as Carlos Singh goes after them.

In order to find the gold, there are certain artifacts needed to find out the exact location, which is what Big John is on the hunt for once he’s back in the OBX. At one point, he and John B find something called the gnomon of Solana, and that actually helps them while they’re in South America. The group is able to translate “the secret of the gnomon,” which leads them to El Dorado. A riddle leads them to the cave and John B and Sarah are finally able to locate the treasure.

Outer Banks season 3: “Secret of Gnomon” meaning

The gnomon is a big part of the Outer Banks season 3 storyline, and “Secret of the Gnomon” is even the finale title. But what exactly is a gnomon? The show uses unusual words and phrases connected to historical items and buried treasure quite a lot, but fortunately, this one is easy to explain. A gnomon is simply an object that projects a shadow as a way to translate or indicate something, similar to a sundial.

Big John, John B, and Sarah locate a stone platform called the Temalacatl in the season 3 finale and the gnomon fits right on top of it. When the moon hits it just right, a glowing light appears on the gnomon, also lighting up some of the symbols etched on it. With the proper lighting, they’re able to translate what the symbols mean and eventually use them as directions.

It’s a complicated process, but the group figures it out nonetheless. Finally, John B is able to discover the gold! But it’s not without loss along the way.

All 10 episodes of Outer Banks season 3 are now streaming on Netflix, and we have good news: Outer Banks season 4 is in the works!