JERUSALEM, June 3 (Xinhua) -- Early humans may have begun smoking meat to preserve it as far back as one million years ago, according to a study by Tel Aviv University (TAU), shedding new light on the strategic use of fire by prehistoric species including Homo erectus.
The study, published in Frontiers in Nutrition and summarized in a TAU statement on Tuesday, suggests that fire was not only used for warmth or illumination but also as a method to prevent large quantities of meat from spoiling.
Researchers examined archaeological evidence from nine prehistoric sites dated between 1.8 million and 800,000 years ago, including two in Israel and others in Africa and Spain. While all sites showed signs of fire use, they lacked typical indicators of cooking, such as charred bones.
Instead, the sites contained abundant remains of large animals, including elephants, hippopotamuses, and rhinoceroses.
The researchers propose that early humans used fire to smoke and dry meat -- a practice that would have significantly extended its shelf life. Given the difficulty of building and maintaining fires, the team argues that their use would have been occasional and purposeful.
"The meat and fat from a single elephant could feed dozens for weeks," the study noted, highlighting the importance of preserving such large kills to avoid waste and deter scavengers.
The findings support a broader hypothesis that early human evolution and behavior were closely tied to reliance on large game. As the size of prey animals declined over time, this shift likely influenced early humans' hunting strategies, dietary practices, and eventual mastery of fire. ■
