A seemingly ordinary rock found by a young boy on an English beach has turned out to be an extraordinary piece of history – a hand axe crafted by a Neanderthal tens of thousands of years ago.

Nine-year-old Ben Witten stumbled upon the shiny stone at Shoreham Beach in Sussex a few years ago, initially keeping it in his room, unaware of its significance. A visit to Worthing Museum sparked a revelation. While viewing the Stone Age exhibit, Ben noticed a resemblance between his find and the displayed artifacts, prompting him to share his discovery with the museum staff.

Experts at the museum confirmed the rock was a hand axe dating back to the late Middle Paleolithic period, between 40,000 and 60,000 years ago, likely made by a Neanderthal. James Sainsbury, the museum's curator of archaeology, emphasized the rarity of such a find in Sussex, calling it “doubly special” due to its discovery by a young boy on a beach.

Ben has loaned the axe to the museum for display until next February. “I did want to keep it,” he admitted, “but I felt like it would be better there than in my hands.” The museum plans to officially record the artifact with the British Museum's Portable Antiquities Scheme.

This incident highlights the importance of reporting potential archaeological finds, even seemingly insignificant ones. Sainsbury stressed that unreported discoveries lose their historical value as their context is lost. He hopes this story encourages others to report similar finds, emphasizing that you don’t need specialized training to uncover fascinating pieces of the past.

This isn’t an isolated incident. Recent discoveries include a Neolithic axe found by a mother and child gardening in Poland and a Roman gold bracelet unearthed by a boy and his mother walking their dog in England. These examples underscore the crucial role the public plays in preserving history.

Reporting such finds ensures these glimpses into our shared past are documented and studied, enriching our understanding of history.