On December 10, a landmark archaeological discovery in Suffolk County (UK) was published in the prestigious scientific journal Nature, completely disrupting the course of human civilization.
In the Barnham site, scientists have found undeniable evidence that humans have known how to create fire since 400,000 years ago. This number shocked experts because it pushed the time frame for humans to control the fire back to 350,000 years compared to the previous evidence found in France.
The key to this mystery lies in two small but invaluable pieces of pirite iron ore. This is a special mineral that can create fireworks when hit hard on fire rock. What made the discovery "shocking" was that iron pirite was completely absent from the wild in the Barnham area.
After comparing with the database of more than 33,000 geological samples, researchers confirmed that prehistorics had to intentionally search and transport this "fire-breaking stone" from the coastal pollen traces dozens of kilometers away to use as a specialized fire-making tool.
To further strengthen authenticity, advanced geochemical tests were conducted on a patch of red-burned clay at the site. The results showed that the area had been heated to more than 700 degrees Celsius after repeated burning at the same fixed location.
In addition, archaeologists have found cracked stone cages surrounded by high temperatures. All this data comes together as a solid solid solid evidence: This is a fire created and maintained by humans, and is not the ruins of a random forest fire.
The proponents of this early fire-fighting technology were identified as early Neanderthals, who lived in England and Europe while our homeland Homo sapiens had not yet migrated from Africa.
Professor Chris Stringer from the Museum of Natural History said the discovery showed that Neanderthal people possessed a much superior intelligence than previously imagined. Controlling the fire not only helps them warm up to survive in the cold northern climate, cook food to develop the brain, but also turns the fire into the center of social activities, promoting the emergence of language and storytelling culture.
