Three years ago, a six-year-old boy named Ben from Shoreham, West Sussex, England, stumbled upon a shiny flint rock while playing on Shoreham Beach. Initially captivated by its unique appearance, Ben brought the rock home, where it was largely overlooked and often misplaced. Fast-forward to three weeks ago, a now nine-year-old Ben visited the Stone Age exhibition at Worthing Museum and immediately recognized similarities between the museum’s displayed artifacts and his long-forgotten find.
After contacting Worthing Museum, Ben and his mother, Emma, brought the object for examination. James Sainsbury, curator of archaeology and social history at the museum, was astounded. “When I first received the email, I expected it to be just another beach pebble,” Sainsbury told Live Science. However, upon seeing the photos, he immediately recognized the rock as a rare Neanderthal hand ax. “It’s an absolutely incredible find,” he added.
The hand ax has been identified as a Mousterian tool, associated with Neanderthals living during the Late Middle Paleolithic era, between 40,000 and 60,000 years ago. These tools were created by chipping flint into bifacial forms and were likely used for tasks such as butchering animals, digging, or chopping wood. Sainsbury noted that such artifacts are exceptionally rare in Sussex. “This is the first Neanderthal hand ax to be found in years,” he said in an interview with Fox News Digital, adding that it’s “so rare that most qualified archaeologists would never find one themselves.”
Experts believe the ax remained largely intact due to being buried underwater for much of its history. Its pristine condition suggests it was likely dredged from an old submerged riverbed, possibly during recent efforts to bolster beach defenses. This material may have originated from Doggerland, a now-submerged region beneath the North Sea that was once inhabited by prehistoric people.
“The sea would have been much further away than it is today,” Sainsbury explained. However, determining whether the ax was lost by a Neanderthal at Shoreham or transported through modern construction efforts remains challenging.
Ben decided to loan the hand ax to Worthing Museum, where it is now prominently displayed. “I did want to keep it,” Ben shared with BBC News, “but I felt like it would be better there than in my hands.” The artifact has already become a highlight of the museum’s collection, attracting numerous visitors.
Sainsbury emphasized the importance of public involvement in archaeology. “This discovery underscores that anyone, regardless of age or training, can uncover incredible pieces of history,” he told Fox News Digital. He encouraged the public to report their finds for proper recording to prevent valuable historical data from being lost.
The hand ax will remain on display at Worthing Museum until February, after which it will be returned to Ben and his family—a fitting conclusion to the extraordinary journey of a boy’s shiny beach find turned invaluable historical artifact.
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