Prince Edward Island Plummet: A Recent Discovery

This stone artifact was found by Jean-Guy Ouellette, from Shemogue, New Brunswick. It was recovered in a scallop-drag near Seacow Head, south coast of Prince Edward Island, Northumber land Strait.

Referred to as "plummets" by archaeologists, these objects probably served as weights for fishing lines or nets. Various means were devised for attaching a line such as drilled holes, line grooves, or as in this example, a knob-like top. Plummets occur in a variety of sizes (usually in the range 4-10 cm long) and also different shapes. Most are carved or pecked out of soft soapstone or siltstone into globular or teardrop shapes, and are usually undecorated. A few are decorated, some perhaps even for spiritual reasons, and are usually carved in the form of aquatic animals such as fish or marine mammals. This plummet shows remarkable similarity to the locally occurring gastropod, the Atlantic oyster drill (Urosalpinx cinerea).

Plummets are recorded archaeologically from Newfoundland, south to New England, and west to the Great Lakes. Most appear in Archaic Period contexts dating from approximately 3500 to 5000 years ago.

Plummet from Seacow Head, PEI
(Loan from Jean-Guy Ouellette)

Soapstone plummet from Portland Point (Saint John), New Brunswick	Gastropods from Prince Edward Island