A chance discovery reveals one of PEI’s earliest inhabitants, and even deeper Mi’kmaq roots on the island

Jack Sturz was swimming one hot August afternoon in 2019 on Prince Edward Island’s north shore when something white caught his eye against the red sandstone beach. Standing in ankle-deep water, Mr. Sturz, then 26, picked it up. It looked like a human jawbone, he thought as he turned it over, noticing sockets that once held teeth. Maybe it’s the human remains of a fisherman lost at sea, he wondered.His girlfriend told him it looked creepy. And for a moment, Mr. Sturz thought about just tossing it back in the sea. Instead, he called the RCMP. About 15 minutes later, an officer arrived. He snapped on a pair of latex gloves and slipped the bone into a clear plastic evidence bag.