Signs of a 400,000-Year-Old Neanderthal Campfire Found in the UK
Archaeologists in the UK have uncovered the oldest-known evidence of deliberate fire-making by Neanderthals, dating back around 415,000 years. This discovery reshapes our understanding of early human innovation and social life. Source: DW . Signs of a 400,000-Year-Old Neanderthal Campfire Found in the UK π₯ A Landmark Discovery in Human Evolution Researchers excavating near Barnham, Suffolk, have found heated clay, heat-shattered handaxes, and pieces of iron pyrite —a mineral used to spark fires when struck against flint. These findings provide unequivocal evidence of deliberate fire-making , pushing back the timeline of controlled fire use by hundreds of thousands of years. π§π¬ Why This Matters Fire on demand : Unlike opportunistic use of natural fires (from lightning or forest fires), this site shows Neanderthals intentionally brought pyrite to create flames. Brain evolution : Cooking meat and plants made digestion easier, freeing energy for the growth of larger brains. Su...