This is the oldest evidence of people starting fires

In a groundbreaking discovery, researchers have unveiled the oldest known evidence of fire use by Neanderthals, dating back 400,000 years in what is now Suffolk, England. The site, located in an abandoned clay pit at Barnham, features heat-altered clay, fire-cracked stones, and traces of pyrite—an essential mineral for igniting flames with flint. According to Rob Davis, an archaeologist from the British Museum, the presence of pyrite suggests that these early humans not only utilized fire but also had the capability to create and manage it themselves. The Barnham site, initially known for stone tool findings in the early 1900s, would have been an idyllic location at the time, nestled by a serene pond and surrounded by a mix of lush forest and grassland. While no hominin fossils were found directly at this location, a Neanderthal skull discovered approximately 100 kilometers away implies that the inhabitants of Barnham were likely Neanderthals as well. This area would have provided a sheltered and quiet retreat for these ancient people, ideal for setting up camp. At the heart of this Neanderthal settlement was a hearth, reminiscent of a small campfire, which is evidenced by a patch of clayey silt now tinted a rusty red from repeated fires. This distinctive coloration results from heating the iron-rich yellow clay, producing tiny grains of hematite that mark the site. Additionally, archaeologists uncovered a collection of heat-damaged flint handaxes and other flint fragments near the hearth, further illustrating the domestic activities that took place in this early human campsite.