The UK government has placed temporary export bars on two prehistoric flint handaxes found on the Happisburgh shoreline in Norfolk. The items, dating to about 500,000 years ago, are among Britain’s earliest human artefacts. One axe measures 13 cm and weighs 465 g, the other 10 cm and 308 g. Culture Minister Baroness Twycross authorised the deferral on advice from the Reviewing Committee on the Export of Works of Art and Objects of Cultural Interest (RCEWA), which found the handaxes to have outstanding national and global significance. The export licence will be deferred until 2 September 2026, giving potential buyers 15 business days to offer the recommended price of £15,000 plus VAT. Interested parties should contact RCEWA at 020 7268 0534 or rcewa@artscouncil.org.uk.
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For details, see https://www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/doc/open-government-licence/version/3/.
Original source: https://www.gov.uk/
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