JERUSALEM, April 15 (Xinhua) -- An international team of researchers has found that early humans, around 780,000 years ago, used fire in simple, practical ways, the Hebrew University of Jerusalem said in a statement Wednesday.
It was found that early humans primarily used driftwood that washed up along the shore of a lake in what is now northern Israel, rather than selectively searching for the best wood.
The new research, published in Quaternary Science Reviews, was done at an ancient site called Daughters of Jacob Bridge, where the scientists studied tiny fragments of charcoal left from old fires.
The remains show that early humans returned to the same lakeside site for thousands of years. The area offered key advantages: water, plants, animals, and a steady, easy supply of wood for fire. With fuel always at hand, they could maintain fires for cooking, warmth, and daily use.
Researchers said this shows early humans were practical and adaptive, using the resources naturally available to them. Fire was likely a key reason they chose and repeatedly returned to this site.
The findings help scientists understand how early humans lived and how important fire was for survival, food, and settling in one place, the researchers concluded. ■
