How Did Our Ancestors Light Up Caves?

Take our mini-quiz and find out

How did the Aurignacians light up the caves? (2019/2019) by Fanny Le BagousseGrotte Chauvet - UNESCO World Heritage Site

Did our ancestors light up the caves using...

A. Torches and fireplaces or B. Thousands of fireflies

The correct answer is...

A. Torches and fireplaces

They had torches, consisting of lengths of wood smeared with fat, which allowed them to light up the dark and move around in it. 

Active fireplace (reconstruction) (2015-04-25/2015-04-25) by Anamnésia/Kaléos/SmergcGrotte Chauvet - UNESCO World Heritage Site

They also made fireplaces, often built from stones, in which they burned branches of wood (mainly Scots pine in the Chauvet Cave). Unlike torches, the fireplaces could not be moved around. 

Megaceros - Secondary concentration of charcoals close to a fireplaceGrotte Chauvet - UNESCO World Heritage Site

In the Chauvet Cave, there are dozens of fireplaces on the ground as well as traces of burning on the walls, which are attributed to the use of torches.

Did prehistoric man make sketches before drawing in the caves? (2019/2019) by Fanny Le BagousseGrotte Chauvet - UNESCO World Heritage Site

Let's see if you can answer another prehistory question!

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