Recently, a team led by researchers from the British Museum announced a groundbreaking discovery in the UK: evidence of intentional fire-making dating back 400,000 years, dramatically pushing back the timeline for when our ancient relatives first harnessed flames.
Unearthed near the village of Barnham in Suffolk, eastern England, this human-built fireplace marks the earliest solid proof of humans sparking their own fires outside Africa. While earlier finds suggested fire use over a million years ago in Africa, those flames likely sprang from natural events like lightning strikes.
Until now, the oldest confirmed fire-making site was in France, dating back around 50,000 years. The new Barnham fireplace rewinds human mastery of fire by 350,000 years, shedding fresh light on how critical this skill was to social bonding, warmth and cooking.
Mastering fire was a pivotal leap in our evolution. It offered a gathering point for storytelling and social rituals, helped early humans stay warm during colder climates and unlocked new diets by cooking food, which fueled the growth of our uniquely large brains.
Although fire-making tools rarely survive the millennia, this discovery at Barnham provides a rare glimpse into the innovative spirit of our ancestors. As researchers continue to study the site, we may soon learn more about the methods and materials they used to kindle those ancient flames.
This landmark find not only rewrites a key chapter of human prehistory but also highlights how much more we have yet to uncover about our own journey. For young explorers, tech enthusiasts and history buffs around the world, the fire that once sparked in Suffolk still burns bright in our collective imagination.
Reference(s):
cgtn.com
