History and present of firewalking
The first evidence of heat-treated food is 1.9 million years old. Evidence of widespread control of fire by anatomically modern humans dates to approximately 125,000 years ago. Since then Fire has been important ally for humans in their conquest of the world.In our opinion, Firewalking is one of the oldest human rituals, as we can find evidence of it on all continents. Apparently, man has taken this ritual with him from his cradle (Africa, the Garden of Eden or wherever it was) and spread it around the world.
The oldest recorded evidence of firewalking is more than 3,000 years old and comes from Iron Age India. It describes competition between two priests in a firewalking length and glorifies the one who went furthest. It is said that there was a law in ancient Rome that allowed you not to pay taxes if you could walk over the fire and not burn yourself. For many tribesaround modern Pakistan, the ability to walk on fire and not burn is proof that you are not guilty of accused crime.
The Firewalking ceremonies have very different contexts, but it has no geographical or religious boundaries. Today, living firewalking traditions can be found all over the world, from Japan to Europe, where there are several living traditions: Spain, Greece, Bulgaria, etc. It is practiced by Christians, Pagans, Hindus and Daoists in a variety of contexts and for a variety of purposes.