"Sam Russell Thursday 11 December 2025 01:49 GMT The controlled use of fire had profound effects on human evolution, say the study's authors. (Jordan Mansfield/PA Wire) Groundbreaking research has revealed the earliest known evidence of human fire-making in the UK, dating back over 400,000 years. The discovery was made at a disused clay pit near Barnham, Suffolk, pushing back the timeline by"
"350,000 years from the previous record in northern France. Evidence found at the site includes fire-cracked flint hand axes, heated sediments and two fragments of iron pyrite, a mineral used for striking sparks. Geological studies confirmed the local rarity of pyrite, suggesting deliberate transport, while geochemical tests indicated repeated, controlled fire use rather than wildfires. Experts from the British Museum and Natural History Museum highlight that controlled fire had profound effects on human evolution, aiding survival, cooking, social interaction and potentially brain development and language. In full"
Research uncovered the earliest known evidence of deliberate human fire-making in Britain, dating to over 400,000 years ago. Excavations at a disused clay pit near Barnham, Suffolk produced fire-cracked flint hand axes, heated sediments and two fragments of iron pyrite used for striking sparks. Geological analysis showed pyrite was locally rare, indicating deliberate transport to the site. Geochemical tests revealed repeated, controlled fire use rather than signatures of wildfire. The dating pushes back the previous UK record by 350,000 years and surpasses prior finds in northern France. Controlled fire use would have aided survival, cooking, social interaction and may have influenced brain development and language.
Read at www.independent.co.uk
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