Archaeologists have dated stone tools of early humans (H. heidelbergensis) near modern-day Canterbury in England to between 560,000 and 620,000 BP. This is not the earliest evidence of ancient humans in Britain but the hand axes are some of the oldest in Europe. During the recent excavation, new artifacts such as early flint scrapers were also found. According to Dr. Alastair Key, “The diversity of tools is fantastic. In the 1920s, the site produced some of earliest handaxes ever discovered in Britain. Now, for the first time, we have found rare evidence of scraping and piercing implements at this very early age”. The diversity also indicates that these humans were thriving, not just surviving.