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Ancient Fire-Making Evidence Predates Neanderthals by 350,000 Years

12/13/2025

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Archaeologists Discover Fire

Archaeologists in Britain reported evidence of deliberate fire-making dating to about 400,000 years ago at Barnham, Suffolk, published in Nature.
The finding predates Neanderthal site evidence in France by roughly 350,000 years.
The site yielded baked clay, flint hand axes, and iron pyrite fragments, indicating controlled fire use.
Separately, divers off western France found a 7,000-year-old submerged wall, reflecting advanced technical skills of ancient coastal societies.

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Divers Unearth Ancient Wall

Divers off the coast of western France uncovered a 7,000-year-old submerged wall measuring 120 meters near Île de Sein.
A dozen smaller structures were found alongside the wall, indicating advanced technical skills in ancient coastal societies.
Between 2022 and 2024 divers confirmed the find, which was published in the International Journal of Nautical Archaeology and shows social organization predating megalithic constructions by centuries.

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Archaeologists Discover Fire

Archaeologists in Britain reported evidence of deliberate fire-making dating to about 400,000 years ago at Barnham, Suffolk, published in Nature.
The finding predates Neanderthal site evidence in France by roughly 350,000 years.
The site yielded baked clay, flint hand axes, and iron pyrite fragments, indicating controlled fire use.
Separately, divers off western France found a 7,000-year-old submerged wall, reflecting advanced technical skills of ancient coastal societies.

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