Discovery of the first neanderthals’ fireplace in Chagyrskaya cave in the Altai Mountains

During the field season of 2016, for the first time, a fireplace was found in the lower cultural layer in Chagyrskaya Cave. According to the stratigraphic position in the lower part of layer 6в/2, the fireplace was made at one of initial stages of cave occupation by the Neanderthals. The fireplace has been deformed due to the impact of frost. Preliminarily, several types of fuel from the filling of the fireplace have been identified. Using the data obtained, an experiment was conducted, which made it possible to identify several specific features of the fireplace. Presently, this fireplace is the earliest evidence of the deliberate use of fire by the ancient humans in the Altai Mountains.