The First Evidence of Fire-Making by Early Humans in Britain

Approximately 400,000 years ago, Neanderthals or their ancestors in Britain struck flint with pyrite, repeatedly igniting fires in the same location. Archaeologists believe this is the earliest evidence of human fire-making discovered to date.

Early humans may have opportunistically utilized fire for around 1.5 million years, likely benefiting from naturally occurring fires caused by events like lightning strikes.

Starting around 400,000 years ago, signs of more extensive fire usage grew in Europe, yet direct evidence indicates that humans gained the ability to control fire only around 50,000 years ago.

Nick Ashton from The British Museum reported three crucial findings from the Burnham Quarry site in Suffolk: pyrite, charred deposits, and a heat-damaged hatchet.

Pyrite holds significant importance in humanity’s fire history, as striking it with flint can produce sparks capable of igniting dry materials. However, pyrite does not naturally occur near quarries, implying that early humans must have transported it. “Pyrite is crucial,” Ashton states.

Additionally, the reddish sediment left by these fires is vital, according to him. Combustion alters the iron minerals present in the deposits, consequently changing their magnetic characteristics. Laboratory tests indicate that the reddish clay layer may have experienced firing events more than a dozen times, suggesting that humans revisited and ignited fires in this area repeatedly.

Heating flint facilitates its shaping into sharp tools, but excessive heat can lead to its shattering, as evidenced by the hatchet discovered at Burnham. Tests indicated it exceeded 700 degrees Celsius, prompting Mr. Ashton to believe it had inadvertently been heated.

Ashton notes that there’s accumulating evidence suggesting humans half a million years ago possessed a range of cultural and technological abilities, including making and using fire.

“Early Neanderthals, along with other modern human species, were far more capable than we often acknowledge,” Ashton says. “Starting a fire is no simple task; it necessitates understanding pyrite’s origin, its properties when used with flint, and selecting the right tinder to create a flame.”

John Gowlett at The University of Liverpool has stated that recent findings make it “highly plausible” that individuals 400,000 years ago were not just aware of fire but likely utilized it daily.

“Early humans were indeed familiar with fire, but the mere discovery of a burnt object associated with a tool doesn’t automatically indicate human control over it,” he explains. “If a location shows signs of repeated human occupation accompanied by multiple indicators of fire, that presents compelling evidence of human control, as natural fires seldom occur in the same place repeatedly.”

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