What appeared to be an oddly shaped black rock lying on a New Brunswick beach a few years ago could help archeologists learn about an ancient time period they know little about.
A woman walking along a beach at New Brunswick's Cape Spear saw the rock in an area near the Confederation Bridge — and it turned out to be a piece of black chert that was shaped into a spear more than 9,000 years ago.
The find has excited an archeologist who wants to visit the site of the find next summer and look for other artifacts.
New Brunswick Museum archeologist Brent Suttie says he hopes to find more clues about what life was like for natives of that time period, known as the paleoindian era.
Only four other similar artifacts have been found from the period in New Brunswick, but follow-up searches failed to uncover any additional finds.
The first Europeans didn't settle in the region until about 400 years ago.
As for the spear, which is about 10 centimetres long, it's now hanging around the neck of the woman who discovered it.
“It's very old. It's a beautiful piece,” said Joan Rennick, who stumbled upon it six or seven years ago. “It suits by attire ... my personality.”
