Archaeologists Keep Unearthing Mysterious ‘Giant’ Prehistoric Hand Tools

Archaeologists have unearthed a “giant” handaxe in southern England that was crafted by early human relatives more than 300,000 years ago, reports a new study. Measuring nearly a foot long from tip to butt, the artifact is the third biggest prehistoric handaxe ever found in Britain and belongs to a special class of big tools with mysterious origins. . .

So-called “giant” handaxes, which are more than 22 centimeters in length, are among the most puzzling tools from these extinct groups. Whereas most axes are designed to fit in a normal human hand, give or take, the super-sized versions seem unwieldy and impractical, raising questions about their purpose to their creators.

Now, researchers led by Letty Ingrey, a senior archeologist at University College London, report the discovery of “a very large flint cutting tool, or handaxe, which is currently the third largest known to be found in Britain,” according to a study published on Thursday in the journal Internet Archaeology.

The handaxe, which dates back some 300,000 years to the Middle Pleistocene period, was found during excavations in Frindsbury, Kent, a region in the Medway Valley that is known for its abundance of early human artifacts of a similar age. (Read more from “Archaeologists Keep Unearthing Mysterious ‘Giant’ Prehistoric Hand Tools” HERE)

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