Fireplaces - Their Beginnings

Campfires were the first type of "fireplace" and haswood stoves.
been around for thousands of years. It is impossibleIn palaces and wealthy homes of the day the
to document the first "fireplace" or "campfire."fireplace was turned into a luxurious work of art.
However, scientists have documented them as farFlanked by marble pillars, adorned with statues,
back as 40,000 plus years. Depending on locationmirrors, oils paintings and sometimes decorated with
many ancient cultures around the world replacedbeveled glass, the fireplace was meant to make a
outside "campfire" style fireplaces with inside "firestatement of wealth and privilege.
pits" to serve for warmth and cooking needs. A fireAs of now, the modern age of the 21st century,
pit let smoke escape through holes in the roof andonly 9% complete, fireplaces have advanced to
was a prototype of a modern chimney. Howeverelectric status. Many modern fireplaces are made of
true chimneys, with smoke stacks, would not bemarble or stone and many are even decorated with
invented for hundreds of years later with the stoneflat screen televisions. For small spaces like an
fireplace or brick oven just before the early Romanapartment or highrise flats, a pellet stove may add
period. It is not known what culture first brought thejust the right modern feel. For those who live in small
fireplace inside a residence, but it was probably a coldlog cabins a wood stove normally provides all the
climate society.warmth one needs.
During the late 1600's and into the early 1700's, theFor someone who might want an outdoor or back
fireplace saw more than one advancement, oneyard fireplace is going to have a choice of a wide
which would be the convection chamber, byrage of designs. On the market today one can find
Benjamin Franklin. The fireplace convection chambersmall fireplace kits to big outdoor stone fireplaces,
greatly improved the efficiency of fireplaces andwith even a side grill.