Stone Age
2 recorded milestones at this point in the record.
Hearths at Wonderwerk and Gesher Benot Ya'aqov show deliberately maintained fire.
Why it mattered
Cooking unlocked calories, extended the day, warmed the north and centred social life on the hearth.
Hominins ground red ochre into powder, likely for body decoration and hide treatment.
Why it mattered
Among the earliest signs of symbolic behaviour.
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East Africa
Levant
Southern Africa
Central Europe
Africa and Eurasia
East Africa