What Were the Earliest Methods of Firemaking and Where Did They Appear?

By Dig Labs Contributors

Source: Dig Labs Project

The control of fire is widely regarded as one of the most consequential technological transitions in human evolution. Fire provided warmth, protection from predators, light for extending activity into the night, and — crucially — the ability to cook food, which may have driven significant changes in hominin anatomy and brain size. Yet the distinction between the use of fire (maintaining a naturally occurring flame) and the making of fire (intentionally generating ignition) is fundamental, and the latter is far more difficult to identify in the archaeological record.

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SOURCE

Dig Labs Project

Introduction

The control of fire is widely regarded as one of the most consequential technological transitions in human evolution. Fire provided warmth, protection from predators, light for extending activity into the night, and — crucially — the ability to cook food, which may have driven significant changes in hominin anatomy and brain size. Yet the distinction between the use of fire (maintaining a naturally occurring flame) and the making of fire (intentionally generating ignition) is fundamental, and the latter is far more difficult to identify in the archaeological record.