How Fireplaces Have Evolved Over The Years

From the fire in caves to wood and gas burners in our homes today, the fireplace has stood the test of time. For millions of years, human beings have gathered around fireplaces to keep warm and socialise. Here, we take a look at the fascinating history of fireplaces and how they have evolved.

Ancient fireplaces date back to 42 000BC, during the late Pleistocene era, when mammoth bones were used to create hearths. Archaeologists discovered these original fireplaces in caves where fire could not burn naturally – they had to have been started and controlled by man. These sooty sites are proof of how long humankind has been able to start, manage and control fire.

Fireplaces dating back as far as 2 500BC have been excavated in Ancient Greece, and other archaeological digs have discovered that in around 1000BC, citizens in what is now South Korea, developed a remarkably sophisticated system called “ondol