In 2000, a beach walk in Norfolk led to a 780,000-year-old clue that reshaped early human history
TIMESOFINDIA.COM / May 23, 2026, 14:55 (IST)
A routine dog walk on Norfolk's Happisburgh beach in 2000 unearthed a remarkable handaxe, pushing back the timeline of early human habitation in Northern Europe to over 780,000 years ago. This discovery shattered previous assumptions about hominin survival in harsh climates, revealing a sophisticated toolmaker. The coast continues to be a vital, albeit fragile, archive of our distant past.