A Middlesboro man recently found an ancient Native American artifact in a cave in Bell County.

William Posey, who is of Cherokee descent, said he went exploring in caves near the Rocky Face cliffs looking for signs of his ancestors. He said the cave ceiling was black, evidence that they made camp fires there.

As he explored further, Posey found what appeared to be an arrowhead used by Native American’s for hunting. He took the artifact to Cumberland Gap National Historical Park and had it examined.

Park historian Martha E. Wiley responded to Posey in a letter stating that the park service’s archeologist Tom des Jean of Big South Fork National River and Recreation Area examined the artifact.

“He determined that it was an exceptional specimen of the Kirk Corner Notched type of point,” Wiley stated in her letter to Posey. “Its large size indicates it was used on a spear rather than by itself, and its age is estimated at 8,000 to 10,000 years old.”

Jean guessed that the artifact could bring $100 per inch. That, however, is of no interest to Posey, who says he wants to keep the arrowhead.

Posey said that his Native American family came from North Carolina to Kentucky in 1803.

Stephen Woodward is a Staff Writer for the Daily News. He may be contacted at swoodward@middlesborodailynews.com.