A new study suggests that widespread wildfires and environmental changes in the ancient southern Levant might have influenced the early development of pottery. Led by Amos Frumkin from the Hebrew University of Jerusalem, the research explores how Neolithic communities may have learned to harden clay using fire after observing naturally baked clay produced by wildfires. Published in the journal Geomorphology, the study uses data from ancient sediments, caves, charcoal deposits, and archaeological sites to understand how these environmental events reshaped the region during two distinct periods of ecological instability. Frumkin’s "natural kiln hypothesis" proposes that intense wildfires may have inspired early humans to recognize the transformative power of fire on clay. The study examines two key periods: the last interglacial period (MIS 5e), about 129,000 to 116,000 years ago, and the early Holocene, roughly 11,000 to 7,000 years ago, when farming communities were beginning to take root in the region. Evidence from both periods shows episodes of extensive wildfires followed by severe erosion. Tiny charcoal particles in ancient lake sediments and chemical traces in cave formations suggest significant loss of vegetation and soil. During the early Holocene, the most intense fire activity occurred around 9,500–8,200 years ago. While early humans did use fire, Frumkin argues that the scale and timing of the fires were more likely due to climate changes rather than human activity. Without vegetation to hold the soil in place, heavy rains and runoff swept clay-rich terra rossa soil from the hills into valleys such as those of the Jordan and Dead Seas. This process created fertile new environments where Neolithic communities could settle and thrive. The study suggests that these conditions may have led to the development of pottery. People living in the valleys may have encountered naturally fire-baked clay and realized that heat could transform soft clay into a hard, durable material. This insight might have inspired the intentional firing of clay for pottery. Research on pottery from the Jordan Valley supports this idea, as it shows that early pottery was made from the same redeposited clay that would have accumulated after erosion. Frumkin notes that while the last interglacial period had similar environmental conditions, the people living then lacked the technological and social development of later Neolithic communities. This suggests that pottery’s invention was not solely a product of nature but also required a society capable of recognizing and utilizing environmental changes. However, Frumkin emphasizes that the "natural kiln hypothesis" is still a theory and remains testable. While the timing of major fires, clay deposition, and the emergence of pottery overlaps, more precise dating and future archaeological work are needed to confirm the exact sequence of events. Experimental studies could also test whether wildfires could have heated clay to the temperatures necessary for pottery-making. If pottery predates the major fire period, the hypothesis would need to be reconsidered.