TAU study finds early humans knew to situate hearth in cave’s optimal spot

A new study by Tel Aviv University has found that early cave-dwelling humans placed the hearth in the optimal location to allow inhabitants to make the most of the warmth while exposing them to minimal smoke.

The researchers from TAU’s Department of Archaeology and Ancient Near Eastern Cultures used advanced technology to study the Lazaret Cave in southeast France, where early humans lives 170-150 thousand years ago.

Using thousands of sensors and computer simulation models, the researchers looked at various potential places for the fireplace in the cave. Previous studies had indicated that the back of the cave would be the best place to place the fire, letting the smoke rise to the ceiling and circulate out. But the scientists were surprised to discover that through several archaeological layers, the hearth was actually placed in another area of the space.

“We tried to understand why the occupants had chosen this spot, and whether smoke dispersal had been a significant consideration in the cave’s spatial division into activity areas,” said PhD student Yafit Kedat, who co-authored the study.

“We found that the average smoke density, based on measuring the number of
particles per spatial unit, is in fact minimal when the hearth is located at the back of the cave – just as our model had predicted. But we also discovered that in this situation, the area with low smoke density, most suitable for prolonged activity, is relatively distant from the hearth itself.”

In fact, the hearth was found to be located in a 25-square-meter area that struck the optimal balance between allowing the most use of the fire for warmth, cooking and social activities while limiting smoke exposure to a minimum.

The findings reflect “ingenuity, experience, and planned action, as well as awareness of the health damage caused by smoke exposure,” says co-author Prof. Ran Barkai.