Sometimes, a small discovery can turn out to be monumental. For Ben, a boy from Sussex, England, what began as an ordinary day at the beach three years ago turned into something extraordinary.
The “strange rock” he found that day turned out to be a 50,000-year-old Neanderthal hand ax.
Ben, then 6, brought the rock home and eventually misplaced it, according to live science.
It wasn’t until recently that his mother emailed James Sainsbury, curator of archaeology at Worthing Theatres and Museum, to ask about the object.
Sainsbury expected the inquiry to lead nowhere — most beach finds do. But as soon as he saw the photo, he was stunned.
A Neanderthal hand ax
“I knew right away it was a Neanderthal hand ax,” Sainsbury said.
The tool, made from flint and shaped on both sides, was likely used to break bones for marrow.
Identified as a Mousterian hand ax, it dates back to the last era of Neanderthal existence in Europe. Finds like these are rare, especially in Sussex, where Neanderthals lived in small numbers.
Ben and his family brought the artifact to the museum in late November, where Sainsbury confirmed its authenticity.
The hand ax was remarkably well-preserved. Sainsbury suspects it spent most of its history buried underwater, possibly dredged up from an ancient riverbed in the English Channel or Doggerland—a now-submerged landmass in the North Sea.
It’s unlikely the ax could have reached the beach intact without damage. Coastal defense work may have deposited it onto the shore along with other materials.
Ben, now 9, has a clear passion for archaeology, impressing Sainsbury with his knowledge of historical periods like the Bronze and Iron Ages.
He decided to loan the hand ax to Worthing Museum, where it went on display just an hour after being delivered. The artifact has since drawn record visitors and will remain at the museum until February.
