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The notion that fire was used for warmth seems implausible. First, it would take a lot of fuel, and harvesting enough fuel with stone axes would seem to be a g

The notion that fire was used for warmth seems implausible. First, it would take a lot of fuel, and harvesting enough fuel with stone axes would seem to be a great deal of work. When the climate is really cold, as in tundra, fuel is not readily available. Inuit do use fire in igloos. The fuel is seal blubber. It's not clear that the Neanderthals would have had a source of oil. Second, to live successfully in the cold also required the ability to stay warm while away from the cave for hunting, fishing, and gathering food. It's also necessary to go out and gather more fuel. It's not likely that the Neanderthals could store enough food and fuel in the cave to be able to hunker down all winter. Thus, it seems more likely that the Neanderthals were more cold adapted, may have had more body hair, and likely wore animal skins.

hutzlibu 7y ago
You have not often made a fire in the woods (in winter) have you? When you are camping when it is cold, you absolutely want a fire. Even a small one is nice when you are wet and want to dry up. And no, you don't use a axe to get green firewood, you collect dead wood. In old forests there is plenty of it. So sure, after a winter the tribe would have to walk a bit longer to gather it but totally worth it. I doubt wood was ever a problem in a forest. Food was. And yes, the ones hunting could not make fire ... but they were on the move and strong. The children and pregnant women in the cave could not stand it so much. Even though they were surely more tolerant to it than we are today.
- Merrill 7y ago
  No, but as a child I lived in a house heated by wood in Minnesota, so I have an idea of how much wood it takes. Dead wood small enough to break by hand is unlikely to produce heat over night. You want fairly big chunks of hardwood for that. An a cave would be harder to heat than a house when it is -25 F. I'm aware of the old saying, build a small fire, sit close to stay warm; build a big fire, chop wood to stay warm.
  - hutzlibu 7y ago
    "Dead wood small enough to break by hand is unlikely to produce heat over night. " It actually can, when you have someone to guard the fire. But yes, if there are bigger pieces of deadwood, you take them. And there usually are. Like a small dead tree. Also no need to chop it. Just put it in the fire and push it further and further when it burns down .. (I made fire outside a lot with no tools around) But even then they probably would not have heated the cave to house temperatures. But no need to. When it is freezing outside, you are very happy to get it some degrees above freezing. And the rest is indeed lots of animal skin.

hutzlibu 7y ago

You have not often made a fire in the woods (in winter) have you? When you are camping when it is cold, you absolutely want a fire. Even a small one is nice when you are wet and want to dry up. And no, you don't use a axe to get green firewood, you collect dead wood. In old forests there is plenty of it. So sure, after a winter the tribe would have to walk a bit longer to gather it but totally worth it. I doubt wood was ever a problem in a forest. Food was. And yes, the ones hunting could not make fire ... but they were on the move and strong. The children and pregnant women in the cave could not stand it so much. Even though they were surely more tolerant to it than we are today.

Merrill 7y ago
No, but as a child I lived in a house heated by wood in Minnesota, so I have an idea of how much wood it takes. Dead wood small enough to break by hand is unlikely to produce heat over night. You want fairly big chunks of hardwood for that. An a cave would be harder to heat than a house when it is -25 F. I'm aware of the old saying, build a small fire, sit close to stay warm; build a big fire, chop wood to stay warm.
- hutzlibu 7y ago
  "Dead wood small enough to break by hand is unlikely to produce heat over night. " It actually can, when you have someone to guard the fire. But yes, if there are bigger pieces of deadwood, you take them. And there usually are. Like a small dead tree. Also no need to chop it. Just put it in the fire and push it further and further when it burns down .. (I made fire outside a lot with no tools around) But even then they probably would not have heated the cave to house temperatures. But no need to. When it is freezing outside, you are very happy to get it some degrees above freezing. And the rest is indeed lots of animal skin.