Archaeologists have found a 7,000-year-old fire-drilling toolset at the Caoyangang site in Jiangsu Province, China. This discovery marks the earliest known physical evidence of fire-making technology in China. It gives key insights into how early humans transitioned from preserving natural fire sources to developing artificial fire-making methods.

Illustration of fire drilling. CC BY 4.0

Gan Huiyuan of the Jiangsu Provincial Insтιтute of Cultural Relics and Archaeology led the excavation. The team unearthed a well-preserved set of fire-making tools consisting of a drill stick and a fireboard. According to Gan, “This toolset is the most well-preserved fire-drilling equipment discovered to date in China.”

The drill stick is longer than 60 centimeters, and the fireboard exceeds 30 centimeters in length. The brown fireboard artifact features more than ten deep black circular indentations, showing clear evidence of fire-making burns. Additionally, a circular groove at one end of the fireboard hints at its design for carrying or hanging.

Since they started digging, archaeologists have found many fire-drilling tools at the site, reinforcing the idea that early inhabitants knew how to make fire when they needed it. Archaeologists said it’s uncommon to find wood that has lasted thousands of years, and it’s even more surprising in a humid environment like Jiangsu.

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The Caoyangang site covers more than 80,000 square meters. The Jiangsu Provincial Insтιтute of Cultural Relics and Archaeology and the Nanjing Museum started the excavation in 2022. Besides the tools for making fire, they found over 3,000 artifacts. These include pottery, tools made of bone, wooden objects, and remains of animals like deer, pigs, cattle, dogs, and various birds. They also found remains of aquatic plants.

The findings offer a glimpse into the daily lives of prehistoric communities and contribute to understanding the broader cultural landscape of the lower reaches of the Huaihe River. Gan Huiyuan noted that the site is a vital piece of China’s prehistoric cultural framework, demonstrating both technological advancements and societal organization.

The discoveries provide a peek into how prehistoric groups lived day-to-day and help us grasp the broader cultural landscape of the lower reaches of the Huaihe River.

This discovery also aligns with ancient Chinese mythology, which describes early humans making fire by drilling wood to generate friction. These legends now have real archaeological evidence supporting the idea that fire-making tools were developed in that region.