Nose for Treasure: Plevna Pup Makes Historic Discovery

Katie Ohlke | Apr 01, 2010

Jasper with his latest find.

Sometimes treasure is found by the most unlikely of people, and in this case, it was a dog.

Jasper, a four year old Akbash who resides in Plevna, dug up a very old box over the weekend. Jasper is known as an energetic digger, often discovering old pieces of debris, left over from times past.  Her best finds included, until recently,  a three tined fork (from the late 1880's), several old medicine bottles and a ceramic doll head.  However, the newest find is a completely different story.  

Upon returning home from work, Jasper's owner and best friend, noticed that Jasper was sitting beside a newly dug hole in the lawn and an old wooden box.  “Jasper likes to show off what she finds,” said the proud owner, “but this is incredible.”

Inside the old box was what local historians believe to be a time capsule.  It contained old letters, a child's drawing, a daguerreotype photograph of a young man, a clay pipe, an arrow head, an old tin toy of a man on a tricycle (experts think this is a Lehmann toy from Germany circa 1901)  and what appears to be a religious trinket.

The local Pioneer Museum will be receiving the artefacts, while the Clar Mill Community Archives will receive the documents and photograph.  Further identification will take place on Thursday, April 1st, but the find is a very important one for the area.  “It lets us get an idea of what times were like back here, and quite exciting to think that this box was last opened 100 years ago!” said local historian, Mona Perry.   Jasper, considered in local historian circles as a hero, will receive a big box of milk bones!