Chewing Gum or Animal Dung?

(Derby, UK) A 23-year-old archeology student, Sarah Pickin, discovered what is believed to be a fossilized piece of chewing gum, but only after consulting with colleagues to confirm it wasn't animal dung. Hey, it's easy to confuse the two.

The find was made at the Kierikki Stone Age Centre on the northwest Finnish coast where artifacts date back to the Neolithic Period (4,000 - 2,500BC).

"I had heard of ancient chewing gum being found before on previous European digs so when I found it in the trench, it was the first thing that crossed my mind.

"However, it looks just like a dirty piece of modern chewing gum with no smell or taste and I was also worried it could have been a bit of fossilised poo, so I asked a few of the other students to make sure.

"Thankfully they agreed that it was birch-bark gum and it's now away to be carbon dated and have the teeth marks analysed before it goes on display."

Personally, I'm curious to know how she can tell its taste and smell by looking at it.