That Neanderthals used fire has long been known, but a new find at the Pech-de-l'Azé site (France) suggests that their knowledge of combustion processes and the most appropriate materials to light a good fire it was more advanced than was supposed.
A team of scientists from the University of Leiden and the Delft University of Technology (Holland) have found in this archaeological site evidence that 50,000 years ago, the Neanderthals used manganese oxides to make fire and not only as a pigment with which to decorate their bodies, as was believed until now.
These hominids needed fire to protect themselves from the cold and survive, and so they had soot and charcoal in abundance when they needed black materials for their paintings. Using manganese oxides for the same purpose is more difficult and requires greater energy expenditure.
However, specialists have discovered that the Neanderthals of Pech-de-l'Azé purposely selected blocks of manganese oxides for their fires, even though other materials produced just as good pigments.
For what reason? Very simple: Manganese oxide turned into powder reduces the combustion temperature of wood and increases the rate of combustion of charcoal . This practice requires sophisticated knowledge that Neanderthals were not suspected of possessing.
