Heat and Homes

Food History
Early humans had been using fire for thousands of years, but it was the Cro-Magnons named after the cave in southern France in which their bones were founds – who discovered that if certain stone, iron pyrites, is stuck with a flint it gives off a spark hot enough to ignite tinder. So a quicker, surer way of starting a fire than striking two sticks together was at hand.

The hearth was a focus of family life, both in summer – when many people live in tents of wood and hide – and in winter, when they sheltered in cave. As well as providing heating and light, the hearth was used for cooking pot, and fire was used to ward off hungry predators which might attack the community. Gathering fuel for the fire and building up a good stock for the winter were essential chores. In most places this meant collecting wood, but on the plains of Eastern Europe and Russian, where trees were scarce, bone were used d instead. Bones do not burn easily, so shallow channel were due to draw more air into the bottom of earth.
Food History

Cro-Magnon Hunting for Food

Food History
The Cro-Magnon were highly skilled and inventive hunters, who varied their techniques according the season and prey. Probably the men did most of the hunting for the very practical reason that most adult women would have small children to care of – a crying baby would scare off the game before had even started.

A band of hunters might sneak upon herd of reindeer, bison or horses, pick out a likely victim, run it down and spear it to death. However, a lot might go wrong with this approach. A slight change of wind or a tiny sound would betray the hunters’ present, and the herd would run. To get really close to large animal, particularly one with horn, was especially dangerous; approaching a wounded one was doubly so.

The Cro-Magnons’ chances of success and safety were increased by invention of spear thrower and the bow and arrow. Both enabled the hunters to launch their attack from a greater and safer distance.
Food History

Animal for Hunting

Food History
As with all living creatures, the most pressing daily need for our ancestors was to obtain an adequate supply of food. This food was obtained by a mixture of hunting, fishing and gathering from the larder provided by nature.
The Cro-Magnons – the early humans Europe and Russia – were nomads. This does not mean they wandered aimlessly day after day. It is more likely that bands of a few families would travel regularly through a fairly well-defined territory on seasonal migrations. They might have summer and winter bases and move between the two in spring and autumn, drawing on different food resources according to the season.

Bones found in their campsites reveal that the Cro-Magnons hunted a wide variety of games including reindeer, bison, horse, deer, elk, wild, cattle, ibex, and even the majestic woolly mammoth and woolly rhino. To these must be added smaller game such as hare, and birds such as ptarmigan, grouse, and water fowl.
Food History

Early Human: Hunters turn to Farming

Food History
From their appearance on the planet earth, early humans showed that they were here to stay. They were quick-witted and dexterous, giving them the edge over their competitors in fighting for survival in a harsh and demanding world.

They invented the spear-thrower, the harpoon and the bow and arrow – and they used their new weapons to good effect when hunting for food. Men were the armed pursuers of animals; but it was the women who gathered in the nutritious roots, berries and nuts. In addition, early people discovered that two stones struck together made a faster and more affective way starting fires for cooking, heating and lighting than the previous method rubbing two stick together.

Later, bands living in fertile valleys of the Middle East build mud-and-reed houses grouped in fortified villagers. There they become the first people to herd cattle and farm the land and to trade produce for other essential goods.

Food History