In Suffolk County, located in England, scientists have made a historic discovery – they found the oldest traces of controlled fire in Europe. This was reported in a press release from the British Museum.
The research was conducted during archaeological excavations at a clay pit near the village of Barnham, where numerous artifacts related to the activities of ancient people were discovered. Among the finds are fragments of tools, pieces of pyrite, and other items characteristic of Neanderthals.
Experts conducted a soil analysis taken in close proximity to the artifacts, using infrared spectroscopy. The results showed that the site was heated to temperatures ranging from 400 to 600 degrees Celsius for at least four hours, which allowed them to establish that the fire was ignited approximately 400,000 years ago.
This discovery radically changes the understanding of the technology of ancient people, as the earliest known evidence of controlled fire in Europe had previously been traces dating back about 50,000 years.
This discovery is an important testament to the development of fire management skills in the ancestors of modern humans and may shed light on the daily lives of Neanderthals.
