Scientists have discovered the earliest known evidence of human fire-starting in the English county of Suffolk. Archaeologists found what appears to be a hearth made by Neanderthals around 415,000 years ago, revealing this pivotal event in our evolutionary lineage happened much earlier than previously known. In an ancient clay pit near the village of Barnham, researchers unearthed a piece of charred clay, several heat-shattered flint axes, and two pieces of iron pyrite. This mineral creates sparks when struck with flint, used to ignite combustible materials. The discovery is described as a repeatedly used hearth located near a small body of water where these ancient people camped. Archaeologist Rob Davis from the British Museum noted that in cold regions like Britain, cooking allowed our ancestors to kill pathogens in meat and toxins in roots and tubers. The researchers, including archaeologist Nick Ashton from the British Museum, believe the pyrite was brought to the site intentionally for fire-making, as it is a rare mineral in the area. This discovery pushes back the date of the first controlled use of fire by hundreds of thousands of years. Previously, the oldest known evidence was from a site in northern France dating back about 50,000 years, also attributed to Neanderthals. The controlled use of fire was a milestone in human history, crucial not only for cooking and protection from predators but also for providing warmth, enabling humans to inhabit colder environments.
