Researchers have discovered that Stone Age humans mastered fire technology during Earth’s harshest climate period 23,000 years ago. The findings, published in the journal Geoarchaeology, reveal that these early humans not only controlled fire but also used it to adapt to extreme environments.
The study, conducted at Ukraine’s Korman’ 9 archaeological site, examined three ancient hearths dating back to the Last Glacial Maximum (LGM), a period between 26,500 and 19,000 years ago when ice sheets covered vast portions of North America and northern Europe. The researchers found that these early humans used sophisticated fire practices, including selecting specific wood types and maintaining fires hot enough to cook food, provide warmth, and support community activities.
One of the most striking findings was that spruce wood was the primary fuel source, not animal bones as previously thought. This suggests that these hunter-gatherers had detailed knowledge of their environment and could find and harvest woody materials even in the steppe landscape of Ice Age Ukraine.
The hearths themselves were surprisingly elaborate, with distinct layers showing signs of heat alteration, charcoal, and burned materials. Temperatures reached up to 600°C, hot enough for cooking, tool production, and keeping warm in subzero temperatures.
The discovery challenges previous assumptions that humans retreated to southern refuges during extreme cold periods, instead revealing that our ancestors successfully adapted to even the most severe recent climate episode. Understanding these ancient fire practices offers a window into our species’ extraordinary capacity for innovation when facing existential challenges.
Source: https://studyfinds.org/ice-age-fire-masters