Work is now underway to examine and preserve an incredibly rare and fragile artifact, recently unearthed at the Colony of Avalon dig site at Ferryland.

A reed mat, burned during raids that destroyed the colony in 1696, was unearthed just over a week ago.

Dr. Barry Gaulton, who has been working on the site for three decades, calls it an amazing find.

Typically organic finds don’t survive in terrestrial contexts unless the conditions are exactly right—usually devoid of oxygen says Gaulton. In this case, the mat flash burned and carbonized before it was covered over.

Because the mat is carbonized, it is incredibly fragile, and will essentially turn to dust if it dries out.

They had to block lift the find from the ground, covering it over with wax and brought it back to the lab where it can be excavated under more controlled conditions.

Gaulton offered his thanks to the expert work of Julianne George who found the mat and recognized it for what it was, and Donna Teasdale who is now working on stabilizing, conserving, and recording it.