The study is the result of research directed by Cristina Lemorini, in charge of the Laboratory of technological and functional analysis of prehistoric artefacts (LTFAPA) of the Department of Ancient World Studies, in collaboration with the DANTE laboratory (Sapienza) and Tel Aviv University.

The paper published on the scientific journal PLoS One presents data showing how, since the Lower Palaeolithic, communities of hominins who lived in Qesem Cave (Israel) about 300,000 years ago preserved food and other perishable materials using a natural substance with a very high antibacterial potential: wood ash.

"The exceptional discovery", says Cristina Lemorini, "backdates the use of techniques for the conservation of perishable materials, never before identified in such ancient chronological periods, and redesigns the image of our ancestors, highlighting an unexpected cognitive and cultural complexity already starting from the Lower Palaeolithic."

The evidence of the use of wood ash to preserve and/or roast food and to preserve the skin of the killed prey, thus postponing its processing, is given by particular microscopic modifications of the lithic blade's edges used by these ancient hominins associated with micro-residues. Micro-traces and micro-residues, supported by an ad hoc experimentation that reproduced the same type of evidence using replicas of lithic blades to manipulate organic materials treated with wood ash, have proved to be a distinguishing feature that will allow characterising this activity also in other palaeolithic contexts.

References:

The use of ash at Late Lower Paleolithic Qesem Cave, Israel − An integrated study of use-wear and residue analysis − Lemorini C, Cristiani E, Cesaro S, Venditti, F, Zupancich A, Gopher A − PLoS One, 2020. DOI https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0237502

Further Information

Cristina Lemorini
Department of Ancient World Studies
cristina.lemorini@uniroma1.it