Microstratigraphic evidence of in situ fire in the Acheulean strata of Wonderwerk Cave, Northern Cape province, South Africa
Level 4 - case-series / case-control
Level 4 by design analogy (archaeological site case study using sediment micro-analyses)
OpenAlex W2133662818 · doi:10.1073/pnas.1117620109
What was done
Researchers performed micromorphological and Fourier transform infrared microspectroscopy (mFTIR) analyses on intact sediment samples from Wonderwerk Cave in the Northern Cape province, South Africa, to evaluate evidence for in situ fire use during the early Acheulean occupation (approximately 1.0 Ma).
What was found
The abstract reports no numerical values or sample quantities. It reports direct physical evidence of burning in the cave strata dating to approximately 1.0 Ma, identified via burned bone fragments and ashed plant remains.
Why it matters
This establishes the earliest secure evidence for burning in an archaeological context, placing in situ fire association back to approximately 1.0 million years ago during the early Acheulean.
Limits
The findings are derived from a single cave site. The abstract reports no sample counts, sediment volume, temperature estimates, or specific behavioral metrics to distinguish controlled fire maintenance from opportunistic burning.
Cited by
- supports Hominins began cooking up to 1 million years ago, and evidence indicates cooking became widespread by 400,000 years ago.