Excavation of the ancient campfire at an archaeological site near the village of Barnham in England, dating to around 400,000 years ago, removing diagonally opposed quadrants.

Scientists have discovered the oldest-known evidence of fire-making by prehistoric humans in the English county of Suffolk – a hearth apparently made by Neanderthals about 415,000 years ago – revealing that this milestone for our evolutionary lineage occurred far earlier than previously known.

At an old clay pit for making bricks near the village of Barnham, the researchers found a patch of heated clay, some heat-shattered flint handaxes and two pieces of iron pyrite – a mineral that creates sparks when struck against flint to ignite tinder – that they identified as a repeatedly used campfire.

It was situated near

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