Prehistoric charcoal sheds light on how early humans used fire
2026-04-20 An international research team, including Prof. Dr Brigitte Urban from Leuphana University Lüneburg, has published new insights into the lives of early humans at the Acheulean site of Gesher Benot Ya'aqov (GBY) in Israel in the journal *Quaternary Science Reviews*.
By analysing around 266 exceptionally well-preserved charcoal fragments, the scientists were able to demonstrate how our ancestors used the remains of various plants as fuel for their fires some 780,000 years ago.
The findings confirm that hominins on the shores of the prehistoric Lake Hula specifically collected driftwood, including ash, willow, olive, pistachio and even pomegranate – the oldest evidence of this species in the Middle East. The choice of firewood depended primarily on what was available on the lakeshore.
“The study also shows,” explains Professor Urban, “that fire played a central role in the daily lives of hominins: it was used not only for cooking – charcoal remains were found alongside fish bones and clusters of burnt flint micro-artefacts – but also for protection and food processing.”
The researchers emphasise that the constant availability of firewood was a key factor in the hominins’ repeated choice of location on the lakeshore. The findings highlight the advanced skills of early humans in managing fire and resources.
You can find the full publication here: Paleoenvironmental and behavioral insights into firewood selection by early Middle Pleistocene hominins