Rare 60,000-year-old axe found by 9-year-old boy

When Ben was just six years old, he noticed a shiny rock while playing on Shoreham Beach in West Sussex. It looked distinct from the countless other stones and pebbles that usually filled his pockets, so he decided to keep it in his room as a curious souvenir. 

He didn’t expect that unassuming piece of flint to be an ancient artifact connected to a vanished line of early human ancestors.

Fascination with hidden treasure

Ben kept his discovery for three years, misplacing and rediscovering it over and over. One day, when he was nine, he visited Worthing Museum and came across displays of Stone Age artifacts that resembled the object in his drawer back home. 

That was when he realized his “shiny rock” might be older than he ever imagined. The museum’s team confirmed his hunch, and identified it as a rare Neanderthal hand axe from the Late Middle Palaeolithic era. They estimated it to be between 40,000 and 60,000 years old.

Historical artifact

Worthing Museum has now placed Ben’s hand axe on display, and staff believe it dates back to the Late Middle Palaeolithic era, a time when Neanderthals roamed Europe and parts of Asia. 

According to the museum, the artifact’s origin is uncertain, as it may have been left on the beach thousands of years ago or dredged up from offshore deposits during coastal maintenance.

Either way, its preservation offers a glimpse into the lives of early toolmakers who used axes like this one for survival tasks, such as butchering animals or cutting wood.

Finding a Neanderthal axe

“I was looking around and I saw this shiny flint rock,” Ben said, recalling the moment he spotted it, years ago. “I just thought it looked different to all the other different pebbles and stones.” 

He also mentioned that the museum staff described it as their best find in a decade. The entire experience made his heart beat faster, and he felt a sense of excitement when he realized others would appreciate it too.

Although he originally wanted to keep his treasure, he decided that it deserved a place where more people could see it. 

“Seeing how it lit up the face of the archaeologist at the museum, it’s great that others can enjoy it,” said his mother Emma.

Axe offers Neanderthal life clues

Neanderthals, who crafted tools like Ben’s hand axe, are sometimes referred to as the long-lost evolutionary cousins of modern humans.

They disappeared around 40,000 years ago, according to multiple studies that examined fossil records across Europe and Asia.

These extinct relatives of ours are known for making a variety of stone tools, including hand axes that offered a sturdy grip and cutting edge for tasks like butchering animals and chopping wood.

Why is this Neanderthal axe special?

Staff at Worthing Museum have remarked that tools from this era don’t often show up in public collections with such a well-preserved shape. That’s part of what makes this specific piece so interesting. 

The artifact’s craftsmanship suggests thoughtful design, as Neanderthals selected high-quality flint and shaped it for efficient use. Each strike along the edges reflects the skill of the early toolmakers. 

Modern viewers might see little more than a piece of rock, but for archaeologists, details such as flake patterns and worn edges tell stories of early human behavior.

Honoring the past

Ben’s decision to share his discovery mirrors the importance of museums and their role in preserving heritage.

He said he felt it was best to place the axe in a setting where historians, archaeologists, and visitors could all learn from it. 

Life in the Late Middle Palaeolithic period required adaptations to climatic changes, strategies to cope with shifts in available resources, and the rise of new techniques for survival.

Holding in one’s hand an object from that time places one in contact with a lineage of ancestors who shaped the foundations of our world.

Inspiring future explorations

Many children find pebbles or shells on the beach, but only a few stumble on something that sparks a deeper understanding of our origins. Small moments can lead to remarkable discoveries that inspire young minds. 

Ben’s experience is a reminder that anyone might uncover a piece of the past, and curiosity often serves as the first step.

That sense of wonder drives scientific inquiry and helps us appreciate connections that span tens of thousands of years.

Encouraging responsible collecting

Although the public is welcome to explore Britain’s shoreline, it’s important to remain aware of local guidelines on artifact collection. 

Experts often suggest consulting professionals at nearby museums if something looks unusual or might be culturally significant.

This ensures that every artifact – whether a flint blade, pottery shard, or ancient coin – receives proper study and preservation. Early identification keeps historical objects from slipping back into obscurity.

Why does any of this matter?

Ben’s chance encounter may inspire him to keep looking for traces of our distant ancestry. He was once a curious six-year-old on a family outing, but now he’s the proud discoverer of a Neanderthal tool from an era we can only imagine. As he grows older, that memory might guide him toward new interests in history or science. 

The flint axe itself now rests securely at Worthing Museum, ready to spark questions in future visitors who pass by. It also stands as a quiet tribute to the resourceful Neanderthals who lived in a very different world so many thousands of years ago.

The information was originally reported by the BBC.

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