Neanderthal Fire-Making Pushed Back 415,000 Years

Researchers have identified the oldest known evidence of deliberate human fire-making at a site in eastern England.
The findings suggest Neanderthals controlled fire more than four hundred thousand years ago, far earlier than previously documented.
This discovery reshapes current views on technological and social development among early human relatives.

A hearth uncovered in prehistoric England

Scientists working in Suffolk, England, have uncovered what they describe as the earliest known evidence of intentional fire-making by prehistoric humans. The remains come from an ancient clay pit near the village of Barnham, once used for brick-making. At the site, researchers identified a hearth dating to around 415,000 years ago, which they attribute to Neanderthals. This pushes back the accepted timeline of controlled fire production by several hundred thousand years.

Archaeologists found a distinct patch of heated clay that indicates sustained exposure to high temperatures. Alongside it lay flint handaxes fractured by heat and two fragments of iron pyrite, a mineral capable of producing sparks when struck against flint. The combination strongly suggests deliberate ignition rather than accidental burning. The hearth appears to have been used repeatedly in the same location.

The fire site lay close to what would have been a watering hole, an area where humans and animals likely gathered. Such a setting supports the interpretation that the fire formed part of a temporary camp rather than a one-off event. Evidence points to the intentional transport of pyrite to the site for fire-starting purposes. According to the research team, this behavior marks a significant cognitive and technological step.

Nick Ashton of the British Museum, who led the study published in Nature, emphasized the broader implications of the discovery. Earlier evidence of fire-making dated back only about 50,000 years and came from a Neanderthal site in northern France. By comparison, the Barnham hearth dramatically revises that estimate. As a result, controlled fire now appears to have emerged much earlier in human evolution.

Why controlled fire changed human evolution

The ability to make and control fire represented a turning point for early humans and their close relatives. Fire provided warmth and protection, enabling populations to survive in colder regions. Britain’s climate, even in prehistoric times, would have posed challenges without a reliable heat source. This makes the Barnham discovery particularly significant for understanding northern habitation.

Cooking also transformed diet and health among early humans. Heat allowed people to kill pathogens in meat and neutralize toxins in roots and tubers. Prepared food became easier to chew and digest, reducing the energy demands of the gut. Over time, this energy could support brain development and other physiological changes.

Access to cooked food broadened dietary options and improved survival rates. Groups could support more individuals because food resources became more efficient to process and share. These changes likely contributed to population growth and more complex social structures. Researchers view fire as a foundation for later technological and cultural advances.

Social life may also have evolved around the hearth. Nighttime firelight allowed groups to gather after dark, extending daily activities beyond daylight hours. Such gatherings may have encouraged communication, storytelling, and early forms of shared belief. As one researcher noted, the campfire likely functioned as a social center.

Neanderthals, not modern humans

The Barnham site predates the earliest known fossils of Homo sapiens in Africa. This timing rules out modern humans as the fire-makers. Instead, researchers attribute the hearth to early Neanderthals, close evolutionary relatives of Homo sapiens. The finding adds to growing evidence of Neanderthal ingenuity.

Although no human remains were found directly at Barnham, nearby discoveries support this conclusion. Fossil skull fragments dating to around 400,000 years ago were previously uncovered at Swanscombe, less than 160 kilometers south. Those remains share characteristics with Neanderthal fossils from Sima de los Huesos in Spain, dated to about 430,000 years ago. Together, these sites paint a consistent picture of early Neanderthal presence.

Neanderthals have long been underestimated in popular culture. Modern research increasingly shows they possessed advanced skills, including tool-making, hunting strategies, and symbolic behavior. Fire-making now joins that list of capabilities. The Barnham hearth reinforces the view that Neanderthals matched Homo sapiens in many key areas.

The researchers also compared the site to much older African locations. Archaeological evidence there shows humans used naturally occurring fires from lightning or wildfires more than a million years ago. However, those sites lack signs of deliberate ignition. Barnham stands out because it demonstrates repeated, controlled fire-making in a fixed location.

Testing ancient flames

To confirm their conclusions, scientists spent four years analyzing the Barnham evidence. Geochemical tests revealed temperatures exceeding 700 degrees Celsius, far higher than typical natural grass fires. The pattern of burning showed repeated use rather than a single event. These results strongly support intentional fire production.

Earlier excavations at Barnham had already revealed a rich prehistoric environment. Remains of animals ranging from elephants to birds indicate a diverse ecosystem. Cut marks on bones show that humans processed animals at the site. The newly identified hearth fits well into this broader picture of sustained human activity.

Neanderthals eventually went extinct around 39,000 years ago, after Homo sapiens spread across Europe. Despite their disappearance, genetic evidence shows they interbred with modern humans. Most people alive today carry traces of Neanderthal DNA. The Barnham discovery adds cultural depth to that shared heritage.

Researchers believe the findings will prompt renewed debate about early human innovation. Fire-making now appears as a shared trait among several large-brained human species. This includes Neanderthals and possibly Denisovans as well. Such overlap suggests that technological progress did not belong to a single lineage.