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A fascinating discovery occurred when a boy found a stone on the beach that was identified by archaeologists as a prehistoric tool dating back around 60 years.
In a movie-like event, young Ben, just 9 years old, made a discovery of a “stone” that surprised archaeologists and historians. While playing on a beach in England, the boy found a shiny object that, at the time, seemed just an unusual rock.
However, three years later, he discovered that it was a Neanderthal hand axe, approximately 60 years old.
How was the stone discovered?
It all started when Ben was just 6 years old. While walking along the beach, the young boy spotted a shiny flint stone that caught his eye. “I thought it was different from the other stones.”, Ben told with the BBC.
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Fascinated by the find, he took the stone home and kept it in his room, without realizing the historical value of the item.
The revelation came three years later, during a visit to Worthing Museum. Ben was attending an exhibition about the Stone Age and noticed the similarity between the items on display and his “special stone“. Intrigued, he took the object to the museum researchers, who confirmed the importance of the find.
Emotion and pride
"It was exciting! They said it was the best discovery in 10 years.“, Ben reported. He also revealed that although he wanted to keep the axe, he felt that his true home would be the museum, where more people could appreciate it.
"My heart beat really fast when I found out what it was. Now it's in the museum and I'm happy about it.“He said.
The boy's mother, Emma Witten, highlighted the impact of the discovery. “This made the museum archaeologist's face light up. It's amazing that my son found something so important and that now other people can learn from it."
The importance of the axe
According to experts at Worthing Museum, the axe belongs to the end of the Middle Paleolithic, a period that occurred between 40 thousand and 60 thousand years ago.
A museum spokesperson explained that the object was found in the upper gravel of the beach, making it difficult to determine whether it was lost there originally or transported from elsewhere by natural processes such as river deposits.
The axe, made of flint, was used by Neanderthals, the “distant cousins” of modern humans.
Who were the Neanderthals?
Neanderthals were a species of human that inhabited Europe, the Middle East and parts of Central Asia between 400.000 and 40.000 years ago. Endowed with physical characteristics adapted to the cold climate of the time, such as robust bodies, broad noses and short limbs, Neanderthals also had a greater cranial capacity than modern humans, indicating developed brains.
They lived in small family groups and were excellent hunter-gatherers, using advanced tools and weapons to obtain food.
Furthermore, archaeological evidence reveals complex social behaviors, such as care for the most vulnerable members and funerary practices that suggest beliefs or respect for the dead.
Despite their intelligence and skill, Neanderthals disappeared about 40.000 years ago, partly due to competition with Homo sapiens who arrived in Europe during this period.
Genetic studies confirm that there was interbreeding between the two species, which resulted in Neanderthal traits present in the DNA of modern humans.
The extinction of Neanderthals was also influenced by severe climate change and the consequent reduction of their habitats. However, the legacy of Neanderthals lives on not only in our genetics, but also in their contribution to the understanding of human evolution and the cultural and social capacities of our ancestors.
They could offer the young man a full scholarship. Future archaeologist
I don't think they offer anything. I have two arrowheads from that era, more or less, but I won't give them away because I won't get anything in return.
If it is discovered, it may be CONFISCATED, and you may be left without it and remain anonymous.