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Found by Ben in 2021 on a Sussex beach, the object was forgotten for three years until it was recognized as a rare Neanderthal axe
A discovery made in Sussex, England, turned a stone kept for three years into a rare archaeological find. The object found by Ben, a 6-year-old boy, in 2021, was identified as a Neanderthal hand axe about 50,000 years old.
Object was forgotten for years
The boy was six years old when he found the piece while playing on a beach in the area. At the time, the object drew attention for looking different from the other stones scattered along the shore.
After bringing the find home, the boy ended up leaving the piece forgotten among other objects. The material remained stored for three years, without the family knowing its true historical value.
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Photo sent to the museum changed everything
The rediscovery happened when Ben’s mother looked at the stone again and decided to send a photo to the archaeologist at the local museum.
It was from this image that the object began to be treated as a rare artifact.
James Sainsbury, curator of archaeology and social history at Worthing Theatres and Museum, said he receives similar messages frequently, almost always about unusual stones found on the beach, but he stated that he recognized the axe as soon as he saw the photo.
According to him, it was a Neanderthal hand axe from the Upper Paleolithic. Sainsbury classified the find as absolutely incredible and highlighted that pieces of this type are very rare in Sussex.
Axe is about 50,000 years old
The axe found by Ben is small and has dark stones on both faces. The estimate provided by the museum is that the artifact is about 50,000 years old.
According to Sainsbury, similar tools were used by Neanderthals for domestic tasks different from hunting. In this case, the specific type would have been used to break bones and extract marrow.
Rare find attracts researchers’ attention
The curator stated that, in the context of Sussex, the find is indeed very rare. He said the museum has only one similar example and related this scarcity to the low Neanderthal population density.
The exact origin of the axe remains uncertain. Researchers have raised the hypothesis that the piece may have arrived at the location via ocean currents from another area, something consistent with the excellent state of preservation of the artifact.
Axe will be on display
Ben lent the axe to the museum, where it is on display. Emma, the boy’s mother, said she was pleased to see the archaeologist’s reaction to the found piece.
She stated that, upon noticing how the axe lit up the specialist’s face at the museum, she thought it was great that other people could also appreciate the object.
With information from Aventuras na História.
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