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Discovery In Barnham, United Kingdom, Indicates That Humans Controlled And Produced Fire About 400,000 Years Ago, Using Deliberate Rare Pyrite And Heated Flint, Anticipating Approximately 350,000 Years A Central Milestone In Human And Technological Evolution
The finding of evidence of deliberate fire production about 400,000 years ago in Barnham, United Kingdom, redefines the timeline of human mastery of this technology, with direct impacts on food, protection, social organization, and behavioral advancement of early Neanderthals.
Oldest Evidence Of Controlled Fire Production
Archaeologists identified heated sediments in ancient soils associated with heat-fractured hand axes made of flint, indicating that fire was not only present but controlled in a prehistoric human settlement.
These signs differ from previous records, in which fire was likely obtained from natural wildfires, with no clear evidence that humans had mastered techniques to deliberately start it in inhabited environments.
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Intentional Use Of Rare Materials At The Archaeological Site
The third line of evidence considered decisive was the discovery of two fragments of pyrite at the site, a rare mineral in the Barnham area, suggesting intentional transport for use in spark production.
According to researchers, the presence of this material indicates technical knowledge about the properties of pyrite when struck against flint, forming a set of tools specifically intended for fire creation.
Indications Of More Complex Human Behavior
Collectively, the findings point to complex behavior among ancient humans, who not only maintained fire but understood the resources necessary to produce it when desired, increasing their environmental autonomy.
This capability would have provided practical advantages such as warmth and defense against predators, as well as enabling cooking, expanding the variety of consumed foods, and improving nutritional intake.
Technological Impacts Associated With Fire Mastery
Archaeologists emphasize that control of fire may have propelled other innovations, including the development of technologies such as producing glue for tool handles, enhancing the efficiency and durability of instruments.
These advances are considered significant milestones in the evolution of human behavior, with direct reflections on social organization, land use, and the transmission of knowledge across generations.
Profile Of Humans Responsible For Controlled Fires
According to paleoanthropologist Chris Stringer, the populations that produced fire in Barnham 400,000 years ago were likely primitive Neanderthals, based on fossils from the same period found in Swanscombe, Kent, and Atapuerca, Spain.
These fossils preserve morphological characteristics and even DNA associated with primitive Neanderthals, reinforcing the connection between the British site and other centers of ancient human occupation in Europe.
Scientific Relevance Of The Finding
For archaeologist Nick Ashton, from the British Museum and the Institute of Archaeology at University College London, the discovery represents the pinnacle of his scientific career.
He notes that it is remarkable that such ancient groups mastered the properties of flint, pyrite, and tinder, demonstrating sophisticated technical knowledge in such a remote period of human evolution.
Implications For Human History
The project curator, Rob Davis, states that the ability to create and control fire is one of the main turning points in human history, with lasting practical and social effects.
He highlights that the new evidence anticipates this evolutionary milestone by about 350,000 years, altering the understanding of when fundamental skills emerged among our ancestors.
Publication And Scientific Context
The discovery was reported in an article published today in the journal Nature, broadening the scientific debate about the timeline of fire use and the pathways of archaic human behavior.
Previous records indicated primitive fire use at Neanderthal sites in France, dating back 50,000 years, where bifaces appear to have been used to strike pyrite, but without evidence as complete as that now identified in Barnham.
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