LONDON (AP) — Exciting news from British scientists! They’ve discovered that our ancient ancestors may have mastered fire-making far earlier than we thought. Evidence suggests that humans were intentionally setting fires in eastern England around 400,000 years ago. This timeline rewrites history, pushing back the earliest known date for controlled fire-making by about 350,000 years. Most previous findings pointed to Neanderthal sites in northern France, only 50,000 years ago.
The breakthrough occurred at Barnham in Suffolk, a Paleolithic site rich in history. After years of digging, a team from the British Museum found a layer of baked clay, heated flint tools, and pieces of iron pyrite—a mineral known to produce sparks when struck against flint.
Determined to rule out natural causes, researchers conducted extensive tests, revealing that temperatures reached over 700 degrees Celsius (1,292 degrees Fahrenheit). The evidence points to controlled burning rather than lightning strikes.
Rob Davis, a Paleolithic archaeologist, highlighted how the combination of high heat and pyrite suggests early humans were intentionally making fire. Since iron pyrite isn’t found naturally at Barnham, its presence indicates that the inhabitants understood its properties and used it to start flames.
Archaeological evidence of deliberate fire-making is rare. Ash and charcoal tend to disappear over time, making Barnham’s sealed deposits a unique find. This allows scientists to reconstruct how these ancient people might have lived.
The implications are huge. Fire would have been a lifeline for early humans, helping them survive in colder climates, protect against predators, and cook food. Cooking not only makes food safer but also breaks down toxins and allows the body to extract more energy. This could have played a significant role in the evolution of larger brains.
Chris Stringer, an expert on human evolution at the Natural History Museum, connects these findings to early Neanderthals. He notes that the fossils suggest a growing sophistication in cognitive and technological skills.
Moreover, fire likely fostered new social dynamics. Gathering around a fire would have created spaces for storytelling, planning, and bonding—key elements in developing language and structured societies.
This discovery at Barnham fits into a broader picture across Europe between 500,000 and 400,000 years ago. During this period, brain sizes in early humans began to resemble those of modern humans, leading to more complex behaviors.
Nick Ashton, who curates Paleolithic collections at the British Museum, called this the highlight of his decades-long career. For archaeologists, understanding when humans shifted from relying on lightning and wildfires to mastering fire-making is a pivotal question in our history.
Recent research indicates that fire was fundamental not just for survival, but for the development of human culture itself. In fact, a 2021 study found that societies benefiting from controlled fire-making saw a leap in technological advancements. Overall, fire represents a turning point in human evolution—one that shaped both our biology and our social fabric.
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