A study released Thursday revealed early results from a British excavation site where a series of giant prehistoric hatchets were discovered in early 2023.
The hatchets were found at Flinsbury’s Maritime Academy in Medway Valley, at least two of which were classified as “huge” by the research team. according to In a study published in Internet Archaeology. The significance of the discovery is unknown, but it is considered “culturally significant” for understanding the British Paleolithic period and human settlements more than 300,000 years ago.
“These hatchets are so large that it’s hard to imagine how they could have been so easily held and used. Perhaps they are less practical than other tools, or more iconic features.” , so it would have been a clear demonstration of strength and skill,” said study co-author Letty Ingley. Said Heritage Daily.
The discovery was published today in Internet Archeology. @IntarchEditor
Read the open access paper and check the data. https://t.co/NKlovolFlc
View a 3D model of the hatchet. https://t.co/P4wt6dqJyT#MaritimeGiantHandaxe
— UCL Archeology South East (@ArchSouthEast) July 6, 2023
About 800 stones were found at the site. Current estimates suggest they were created at a time when Neanderthals were emerging in the region along with other early human species, the paper noted. (Related: Netflix documentary could rewrite all of human history)
The lack of fossil evidence for hatchet owners is a clear stumbling block, Ingley said. Said Newsweek. As a result, the tool’s true creator and owner is currently unknown. However, given its size and age, it is suggested that it was used to butcher animals such as straight-tusked elephants that once roamed the British Isles.
