Prehistoric Hearths Reveal Ice Age Hunter-Gatherers Were Masters of the Flame

Scholars mostly hold that occurrence was important to quality endurance during the astir caller Ice Age—yet successful Europe, determination is amazingly small grounds of hearths from its coldest years, betwixt 26,500 and 19,000 years ago.

By studying 3 prehistoric hearths successful Ukraine, a squad of researchers has gained caller penetration into however occurrence was utilized during the Ice Age’s harshest period. As elaborate successful a study published earlier this period successful the diary Geoarchaeology, the bygone fires uncover hints of blase pyrotechnology, including the imaginable usage of bones and abdominous for fuel.

“Fire was not conscionable astir keeping warm; it was besides indispensable for cooking, making tools and for societal gatherings,” Philip R. Nigst, 1 of the pb authors of the survey and an archaeologist astatine the University of Vienna, said successful a assemblage statement. Although the archaeological grounds confirms that hunter-gatherers successful Europe built fires passim the Upper Paleolithic play (45,000 to 10,000 years ago), determination is simply a astir 7,500-year spread that coincides with the Ice Age’s coldest years.

“We cognize that occurrence was wide earlier and aft this period, but determination is small grounds from the tallness of the Ice Age,” said William Murphree, different pb writer and a geoarchaeologist astatine the University of Algarve.

Now, caller grounds from Ukraine is helping to capable that gap. Researchers person investigated 3 past hearths dating backmost to the bosom of the Last Glacial Maximum. The past hearths, excavated successful 2013 astatine the Korman’ 9 archaeological site, day to betwixt 23,000 and 21,000 years ago, and connection a uncommon glimpse into however Ice Age peoples utilized occurrence erstwhile it was needed most.

The scientists utilized geoarchaeological methods specified arsenic microstratigraphic analysis (a method to survey geographical layers successful precocious resolution), micromorphology (the survey of ungraded and sediment astatine the microscopic level) and colorimetric analysis (a method to observe chemic compounds).

One of the fireplaces during excavation. © Philip R. Nigst.

The analyses revealed that the fires reached implicit 1,112 degrees Fahrenheit (600 degrees Celsius), suggesting that European hunter-gatherers had a heavy cognition of occurrence gathering (hotter flames bespeak more businesslike combustion). While each 3 fires were unfastened and flat, the researchers suggest they were intentionally built and utilized otherwise depending connected the season. For example, 1 hearth was larger and thicker—likely the 1 that reached the highest temperatures.

“People perfectly controlled the occurrence and knew however to usage it successful antithetic ways, depending connected the intent of the fire. But our results besides amusement that these hunter-gatherers utilized the aforesaid spot astatine antithetic times of the twelvemonth during their yearly migrations,” Nigst explained.

While the researchers’ enactment indicates that the fires were mostly fueled by spruce wood, “some of the carnal bones recovered astatine the tract were burnt successful a occurrence with a somesthesia of implicit 650 degrees Celsius,” explained Marjolein D. Bosch, a survey co-author and zooarchaeologist astatine the University of Vienna. If confirmed, the usage of carnal bones and fats arsenic substance would suggest an adjacent higher level of pyrotechnic expertise than antecedently assumed. “We are presently investigating whether they were utilized arsenic substance oregon conscionable accidentally burned,” Bosch added.

The probe sheds airy connected 1 of the archetypal and astir important technologies humans ever developed. Three prehistoric hearths, however, are not capable to adjacent the vexing spread successful the archaeological record, and truthful the enigma of pyrotechnology during the Ice Age’s highest remains unsolved.