The Palaeo-Indian Period

(11,000 - 9,000 years ago)

Nova Scotia's First Peoples

Nova Scotia remained ice covered during the Wisconsinan glaciation from about 25,000 to 13,000 years ago. By 11,000 years ago a tundra-like environment prevailed over most of the Maritimes, looking very different than today's mixed coniferous/deciduous Transition forest. The shape of the Maritimes was also very different. Much lower coastlines exposed most of the Bay of Fundy, Northumberland Strait and large stretches of the continental shelf as land.

Towards the end of the last Ice Age, when water levels were much lower, people entered the Americas from Asia by way of a land bridge. By 12,000-10,000 years ago people we call Palaeo-Indians were hunting large game animals in the high plains using a distinctive type of stone spear tip called a fluted point. About 11,000 years ago Palaeo-Indians arrived in this area. There have been isolated finds of the distinctive fluted points. A known habitation site, at Debert, Nova Scotia, is one of the most important finds of this period in eastern North America.

Late Palaeo Evidence

It is not as yet entirely clear where descendent populations of the early Palaeo-Indian people lived in Nova Scotia. Archaeological evidence from Prince Edward Island, the Magdelaine Islands, south coastal Labrador and Quebec, indicates people were exploiting the rich marine resources of the Gulf of St. Lawrence as early as 9000-10,000 years ago.