Worthing Museum and Art Gallery
The discovery is particularly rare due to the sparse Neanderthal population that lived in Sussex. The situation led the child to develop an interest in archaeology.
A routine day at the beach in Sussex, England, turned into an archaeological discovery when Ben, then 6, tripped over a peculiar stone.
Three years later, the object was identified as a 50,000-year-old Neanderthal hand ax – a discovery rare and significant.
The artefact, a Mousterian hand ax from the Upper Paleolithic period, was confirmed by James Sainsbury, curator of archeology and social history at Worthing Theaters and Museum. Initially contacted by email by Ben’s mother, Sainsbury was skeptical as beach finds often turn out to be banal stones. However, the photograph of the object immediately caught his attention.
“These hand axes are incredibly distinct and rareespecially in Sussex,” explained Sainsbury. Neanderthals used these instruments for tasks such as breaking bones to access bone marrow. The specific style of the artifact links it to the late Neanderthal period, possibly created by one of the last generations of Neanderthals in Europe and Britain.
On November 24, Ben and his family took the artefact to Worthing Museum, where Sainsbury checked its authenticity. The immaculate condition of the ax suggests that it was buried underwater for millenniaprobably having been unearthed recently during coastal defense projects. Sainsbury believes the artefact may have been dredged from Doggerland, a prehistoric region submerged beneath the North Sea, or from an ancient riverbed in the English Channel.
Mousterian hand axes are extremely rare in Sussex due to scarce Neanderthal population who once lived in the area, explains . Worthing Museum previously had only one such artefact in its collection.
Ben, now 9 years old, has developed a strong interest in archeologyimpressing Sainsbury with his knowledge of historical periods. The young enthusiast lent the hand ax to Worthing Museum, where it was displayed within hours of its arrival. The exhibition, which runs until February, has already attracted a growing number of visitors, intrigued by the extraordinary story behind the discovery.
“This discovery underlines the remarkable insights that are still waiting to be discovered about our ancient past,” commented Sainsbury. Meanwhile, investigations into the exact origins of the artifact and the geological activity that brought it ashore continue.
