Ethnoarchaeology of Fuel Use in Northern Forests: Towards a Better Characterization of Prehistoric Fire-Related Activities

Assessing the Function of Palaeolithic Hearths: Experiments on Intensity of Luminosity and Radiative Heat Outputs from Different Fuel Sources

“…A recent paper by Henry et al (2018) highlights the complexity of fuel selection criteria in northern boreal forest groups by examining fuel use amongst the Evenks and Athabascans of East Siberia and North America. Henry et al (2018) suggest that ethnoarchaeological data can be used as an analytical framework to re-evaluate assumptions suggesting either that prehistoric hunter-gatherers had a purely opportunistic behaviour towards fuel governed by environmental constraints or that they were practising taxonomic selection in response to practical reasons. These authors demonstrate that both behaviours can coexist within the same fuel management system, though they are dependent on other contextual factors, e.g.…”

“…The ethnographic record shows that amongst contemporary northern latitude huntergatherers, the use of different types of fuel can vary according to both task and sometimes on a seasonal basis (Henry et al 2018;Shaw 2008Shaw , 2012Steelandt et al 2013;Théry-Parisot 2002a, b). Research concerning selection for specific burning properties of different types of fuels, in relation to seasonality, amongst contemporary hunter-gatherer populations is sparse.…”

“…For example, amongst the Inuit of West Coast Nunavik, the selection for Salix in the fall due to its long duration of heating has been shown (Steelandt et al 2013), whereas the Ingalik prefer Picea in the winter due to its superior thermal properties relative to Populus and Salix (Théry-Parisot 2002a, b). A further example comes from Henry et al (2018) where amongst the Athabascans, the genus Populus is considered a good smoking fuel, but is a bad heating fuel due to its low heat output. However, many of these examples are anecdotal, and our knowledge of the potential of both seasonal variation and selection of fuel for specific burning properties in relation to task is currently limited.…”

“…If Palaeolithic populations, or any prehistoric hunter-gatherers, were practising taxonomic selection in relation to these issues, then this would have to be considered within a wider framework encompassing environmental, seasonal, site function and patterns of mobility and cultural factors, the latter being the most difficult to discern in Palaeolithic research. Previous studies concerning fuel use by prehistoric populations/contemporary hunter-gatherers highlight the importance of the many parameters than can influence fuel management strategies within a given landscape (Asouti and Austin 2005;Kabukcu 2017;Henry et al 2018;Pryor et al 2016;Théry-Parisot 2001;2002a, b). A given population can only select fuel from what is available on a landscape, both in terms of species and the condition of the fuel, i.e.…”

“…Selection can be further influenced by site function; for example, in temporary camps where there is a more immediate need for fuel, there may be less fuel selectivity than is practised at sites of longer term occupations . Recent work on northern hunter-gatherer groups suggests that the degree of fuel selectivity is often correlated to the degree of hearth specialisation and that campfires tend to be fed with the most readily available wood regardless of task (Henry et al 2018). Seasonality, or temporal availability, can further affect fuel selection in terms of warmth.…”