A boy from England finds a glowing item on the beach, which turns out to be a “rare” ancient item dating back to the Late Middle Paleolithic.
The boy, identified by Worthing Museum as Ben Witten, is now nine years old and discovered the glowing stone on Shoreham Beach in Sussex.
“I was looking around and I saw this shiny flint and I thought it looked different from other pebbles and stones,” he told the BBC.
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For the next few years, Witten kept the shiny stone in his room.
He told the BBC that he was constantly “losing and finding things”.
A boy named Ben Witten discovers what turns out to be an ancient object currently on display at Worthing Museum in England. (Emma Witten; Worthing Museum & Art Gallery; Emma Witten)
A trip to Worthing Museum changed everything for a young boy.
According to the BBC, while exploring the museum’s exhibits, he stopped by a Stone Age exhibit and noticed similarities with the items he had discovered.
This led him to report his findings to the museum, where more details were revealed about the items he had unearthed.
The item was identified as a Late Middle Paleolithic hatchet, dating from 40,000 to 60,000 years ago, according to a Nov. 21 Facebook post from Worthing Museum.
The item was “almost certainly made by Neanderthals.”
The museum said the item was “almost certainly made by Neanderthals.”
“We regularly have visitors bring in finds from the local area. Mostly other flint tools and Roman artefacts, but this is the best I’ve shown in over a decade. It’s the oldest item,” said Worthing Archeology Curator James Sainsbury. museum, told Fox News Digital.
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“Neanderthal hatchets are rare in Sussex,” added Sainsbury. “This is the first such discovery in several years, and the nature of the discovery by a local boy on the beach makes it doubly special.”
The nine-year-old discoverer lent his find to a museum for display.
It was discovered by a 9-year-old boy on Shoreham Beach in Sussex, England. (Slawek Staszczuk/Loop Images/Universal Images Group via Getty Images)
“I wanted to keep it with me, but I felt it was better there than in my hand,” Witten said, according to the BBC.
“Ben has lent me the ax until February next year, after which it will be returned,” Sainsbury told Fox News Digital.
Important ancient objects are not always obtained through professional excavations.
Until then, it will be on display at the museum, which guests can enter for free.
“We will document under the British Museum’s Portable Antiquities Scheme to ensure there is a record of the find for future generations,” he added.
This child’s discovery shows that important ancient items don’t always emerge from professional excavations. Sometimes they come about by pure luck and are discovered by young discoverers.
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“I hope people understand that finding interesting archeology doesn’t require professional training. In addition, it’s very important to report finds so they can be properly recorded.” Otherwise, that information will be lost forever,” Mr Sainsbury said.
A similar situation happened back in May, when a mother and baby were gardening at their home in Poland.
Ancient gold handcuffs were discovered in England while a 12-year-old boy and his mother were talking to their dog. (Chichester District Council)
While digging together, the mother finds a strange object. Not knowing what it was, she reported her discovery, which led to further investigation.
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Further research revealed that the find was a Neolithic ax dating back 4,000 years.
In August, it was revealed that in 2022, a 12-year-old boy and his mother found a gold bracelet in England while walking their dog.
“It is of utmost importance that the public report finds and sites they discover.”
Unsure of its value or historical significance, they reported it to the local finds liaison officer for answers.
The discovery turned out to be Roman jewelry, probably belonging to a man who served in the army in the 1st century AD.
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Experts point out that reporting possible ancient discoveries is of paramount importance. Many discoveries have gone unreported, and the historical significance behind them remains undiscovered.
Mr Sainsbury told Fox News Digital: “It is of the utmost importance that the public report their findings and sites.”
“This is archeology at its best. Many discoveries are made, but not all are reported. What is not shown to us, its historical value is lost because its context is lost. will be lost.”
