US EditionStone age BBQ: How early humans may have preserved meat with fire
- Researchers from Tel Aviv University's Alkow Department studied early human fire use to preserve meat by smoking and drying it around one million years ago.
- They developed a unifying theory because early humans needed fire not mainly for cooking but to safeguard large hunted game from predators and prevent spoilage.
- The study examined data from nine prehistoric locations across Africa, West Asia, and Southern Europe, dated roughly from 1.9 million to 800,000 years ago, all of which contained remains of large animals such as elephants and hippopotamuses.
- Prof. Barkai noted that the calories contained in the meat and fat of one elephant are sufficient to sustain a gathering of 20 to 30 individuals for more than a month, emphasizing fire’s importance in preserving such large food supplies.
- The findings suggest early humans systematically used fire to extend meat longevity and protect resources, reflecting organized behavior and long-term planning in prehistoric communities.
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Popular Archaeology
Popular ArchaeologyResearchers estimate that early humans began smoking meat to extend its shelf life as long as a million years ago
Did prehistoric humans know that smoking meat could preserve it and extend its shelf life? Researchers from the Alkow Department of Archaeology and Ancient Near Eastern Culturesat Tel Aviv University believe they did. Their new study presents a fresh perspective on a question that has long preoccupied prehistory scholars: What prompted early humans to begin using fire? According to the researchers, early humans, who primarily consumed large game…
·Washington, United States
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