Saint John in Saint John County, New Brunswick — The Atlantic Provinces (North America)
The Shards of Time
by Peter Powning
This sculpture is based on the rich historical and archeological heritage of the area — where the St. John River meets the Bay of Fundy and where inhabitants have congregated over millennia. It comprises a fragmented, half-exposed vessel typical of the Paleo-Indian peoples who lived along these shores as long as 11,000 years ago. Each of the bronze shards, arranged in chronological order, contains impressions of artifacts that depict the “historical mulch” of human occupation over the centuries. Some shards are missing, representing gaps in our knowledge and understanding of the past.
Commissioned by The City of Saint John in recognition of the City’s 225th anniversary, and its designation as a Cultural Capital of Canada, in 2010, and pursuant to the City’s Arts and Culture Policy.
Cette sculpture s’inspire du riche patrimoine historique et archéologique de la region : l'endroit où le fleuve Saint-Jean se déverse dans la baie de Fundy et où les habitant se ressemblent depuis des millénaires. Elle est constituée d'un bol fragmenté et partiellement découvert, dans un style typique des populations paléo-indiennes qui vivaient le long de ces rivages il y a 11 000 ans. Chacun des fragments de bronze, classes par ordre chronologique, contient des impressions d'artefacts qui représentent la panoplie historique de l'occupation humaine au fil des siècles. Certains fragments manquent, l'espace vide symbolisant ce que nous ne savons pas ou comprenons mal du passé lointain.
Commandée par The City of Saint John à l'occasion du 225ième anniversaire de la ville, et an reconnaissance de sa désignation comme Capitale culturelle du Canada en 2010, et conformément à Politique relative aux arts et à la culture de la ville.
Erected 2011 by City of Saint John.
Topics. This historical marker is listed in these topic lists: Anthropology & Archaeology • Arts, Letters, Music.
Location. 45° 16.357′ N, 66° 4.421′ W. Marker is in Saint John, New Brunswick, in Saint John County. Marker can be reached from Fort Latour Drive, 0.2 kilometers east of Chesley Drive (New Brunswick Route 100), on the right when traveling east. Marker and subject sculpture are located along the Harbour Passage Trail, overlooking the Fort La Tour site. Touch for map. Marker is at or near this postal address: 124 Chesley Drive, Saint John NB E2K 1K7, Canada. Touch for directions.
Other nearby markers. At least 8 other markers are within walking distance of this marker. Fort La Tour (within shouting distance of this marker); a different marker also named Fort La Tour (within shouting distance of this marker); Menahkwesk "Saint John" (about 120 meters away, measured in a direct line); a different marker also named Fort La Tour (about 120 meters away); The Tides of Fundy (about 210 meters away); The Saint John Harbour Bridge | Le pont du port de Saint John (about 210 meters away); Fishing the Harbour (approx. 0.4 kilometers away); Navy Island (Ouigoudy Island) (approx. 0.4 kilometers away). Touch for a list and map of all markers in Saint John.
Also see . . . Shards of Time. Shards of Time represents a fragmented, reconstructed vessel form (e.g. bowl shape) emerging from the ground like a half-exposed archaeological find. The bronze relief of the various shards of the partially reassembled vessel was created using actual impressions of objects from the material cultures of past inhabitants up to the modern era – from stone tools to cell phones. (Submitted on April 8, 2020, by Cosmos Mariner of Cape Canaveral, Florida.)
Credits. This page was last revised on April 8, 2020. It was originally submitted on April 7, 2020, by Cosmos Mariner of Cape Canaveral, Florida. This page has been viewed 123 times since then and 11 times this year. Photos: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5. submitted on April 8, 2020, by Cosmos Mariner of Cape Canaveral, Florida.