Dissertation Research: Origins of Human Use of Fire in Africa

人类使用和控制火的开始是一个 这是人类起源的学生的重要关注，因为它是 对于理解早期原始人的文化适应至关重要， 发展 最近，更新世早期的火灾痕迹 在肯尼亚的Koobi Fora报告了这种情况。 但是，在这方面， 考古学家缺乏一种方法来区分这些 遗体是自然产生的还是人类努力的结果。 为了帮助补救这种情况，学生将进行一个 在扎伊尔和肯尼亚进行的一系列现实主义实验， 营火、树桩火和草火的影响，看看如何 它们可以在物理上和宏观上表现在 早期原始人类所使用的沉积环境的范围。 的 研究将产生新的方法和技术， 确定火灾在考古遗址周围的存在， 世界

The beginnings of human use and control of fire has been an important concern for students of human origins since it is crucial for understanding early hominid cultural adaptation and development. Recently, traces of fire in early Pleistocene contexts have been reported at Koobi Fora, Kenya. However, archaeologists lack a methodology to distinguish whether these remains are naturally occurring or the result of human endeavors. To help remedy this situation, the student will conduct a series of actualistic experiments in Zaire and Kenya on the effects of campfires, tree stump fires and grass fires to see how they may be manifested physically and macroscopically in the range of sedimentary environments used by early hominids. The research will result in new methods and techniques to help determine the presence of fire in archaeological sites around the world.