Researchers have unearthed and meticulously examined three combustion features at the Korman’ 9 locale in Ukraine, situated on the eastern bank of the Dniester River, dating back to the Upper Paleolithic era (spanning 45,000 to 10,000 years ago). Their comprehensive analysis indicates that inhabitants of the Ice Age constructed a variety of hearth types and primarily utilized wood as their fuel source, though the potential incorporation of animal bones and fats cannot be entirely dismissed.
Murphree et al. provide high-resolution geoarchaeological research into three combustion features associated with Epigravettian occupations at the site of Korman’ 9 in Ukraine with ages falling in the Last Glacial Maximum.
The capacity to generate, sustain, and leverage fire has long been posited as a critical element for hominin survival, particularly during protracted periods of intense cold.
A substantial repository of scholarly work has furnished data illuminating the profound advantages conferred by fire utilization on human evolutionary trajectories and its indispensable role in daily existence.
More contemporary investigations have further elucidated the significant labor investment intrinsic to the application of pyrotechnology; this suggests that the employment of fire was not merely a vital survival mechanism but also played a pivotal part in the organizational structures of hunter-gatherer societies.
These organizational aspects encompass: the methods by which hunter-gatherers procured essential resources such as ligneous fuels, whether these fuel materials were systematically stored or provisioned for subsequent utilization, the techniques employed for initiating and maintaining fires, and the spatial arrangement of settlements and activities around these focal points of combustion.
“Beyond its role in thermoregulation, fire was instrumental for culinary preparation, the crafting of implements, and communal social interactions,” remarked Dr. Philip R. Nigst, a distinguished archaeologist affiliated with the University of Vienna.
“While evidence of fire’s prevalence predates and postdates this epoch, direct archaeological indications from the zenith of the Ice Age remain comparatively sparse,” commented Dr. William Murphree, an archaeologist based at the University of Algarve.
In this recent scholarly endeavor, the investigative team concentrated their efforts on the Korman’ 9 archaeological site situated within Ukraine.
“Korman’ 9 represents an Upper Paleolithic settlement strategically located on a north-facing terrace along the right bank of Ukraine’s Dniester River,” the researchers stated.
“This significant site was initially identified in 2012 during an extensive survey of settlements situated along the Dniester River corridor.”
Via the application of microstratigraphic analysis, micromorphological examination, and colorimetric techniques, the scientific contingent successfully identified three discernibly flat, wood-fired hearth structures.
A particularly compelling discovery from this analysis was the revelation that these fires attained temperatures exceeding 600 degrees Celsius, a finding that underscores a sophisticated command of pyrotechnics, even when confronted with exceptionally challenging environmental conditions.
The analytical results also strongly suggest that combustible wood served as the primary fuel source for Ice Age populations, with charcoal analyses specifically pointing to spruce wood. Nevertheless, it remains possible that alternative fuel materials, such as animal ossements or adipose tissues, were also employed.
“Certain animal skeletal remains recovered from the site exhibited evidence of combustion at temperatures surpassing 650 degrees Celsius,” stated Dr. Marjolein D. Bosch, a zooarchaeologist associated with the University of Vienna, the Austrian Academy of Sciences, and the Natural History Museum Vienna.
“We are presently undertaking investigations to ascertain whether these bones were intentionally utilized as fuel or were merely subjected to accidental burning.”
All three fire features are characteristically open and relatively flat. However, the novel findings suggest a nuanced and multifaceted approach to fire utilization, as these hearths were likely constructed and employed in distinct ways, possibly reflecting seasonal variations.
One of the three identified hearths is notably larger and possesses a more substantial structure, implying that elevated thermal levels were achievable at this particular location.
“The inhabitants demonstrated an exceptional degree of control over fire, possessing an intimate understanding of its varied applications tailored to specific objectives,” Dr. Nigst conveyed.
“Furthermore, our results indicate that these hunter-gatherer groups frequented the same locale at different junctures throughout the year, aligning with their cyclical migratory patterns.”
The discoveries have been formally disseminated in the esteemed journal Geoarchaeology.
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William Chase Murphree et al. 2025. Fire Use During the Last Glacial Maximum: Evidence From the Epigravettian at Korman’ 9, Middle Dniester Valley, Ukraine. Geoarchaeology 40 (2): e70006; doi: 10.1002/gea.70006
