AN EIGHT-YEAR-OLD boy who wants to be an archaeologist when he’s older discovered an arrowhead last week which could date back four millennia.

James Naufal-Power, of Willian Way in Letchworth GC, had been digging during playtime at the town’s St Christoper School last Wednesday when he came across the 4.5cm arrowhead just below the surface of a mound of soil.

After showing it to his teacher, the Year 4 pupil had his arrowhead examined by two archaeologists the following day, who believe the artefact could be more than 4,000 years old.

The soil had been dug up during the building of an extension at the Barrington Road school.

“It’s not often you dig up a 4,000-year-old artefact,” said dad Tom Power.

“Most kids are watching cartoons but he’s always got the Discovery Channel on. Probably when he’s older he’ll discover a tomb in Egypt!

“Our back garden is full of holes so maybe that (archaeology) will be his vocation. We don’t go in our garden at night now as I’m not sure where he’s dug!”

James, who has aspirations to become an archaeologist, said: “It was really exciting. It’s the most interesting thing I’ve ever found.”

North Hertfordshire archaeologist Keith Fitzpatrick-Matthews, who assessed James’ find, added: “It looks like something from the early Bronze Age.

“It’s the style, it’s a barbed and tanged arrowhead and they were specifically designed during the Bell-Beaker culture which spread throughout Western Europe (between 2400BC and 1800BC).

“It could’ve been used for hunting or warfare although it’s impossible to be sure. It could be 4,500 years old but it’s no later than 1800BC.”

Mr Fitzpatrick-Matthews, who was joined by his assistant Sian O’Neill to assess the arrowhead, also said that a “very similar” find was made in the nearby village of Norton in 2008.

St Christopher School currently has the arrowhead for safe keeping but it may be put on display at Letchworth Museum in Broadway.