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Stone Age Shelters – 400,000 years ago and still Works Today

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In our review of ancient primitive technologies, we’ve looked at evidence of stone tools dating back to around 2.6 million years ago, and control of fire from at least as far back as 750,000 years ago. Now we step forward in time to around 400,000 years ago for our next big step in technology – shelter.

With all these other advances, where did ancient humans go to retreat from the elements, protect their children, and store food? In other words, what was the first shelter?

According to the Smithsonian, the Terra Amata Shelter has been dated to about 400,000 years ago, and suggests the use of fire and hearth, stone tools, and post holes. Although there is still some controversy about the site, I think it is fair to say that ancient people gathering in an open air site, especially near a large body of water, such as a coastline, would need protection from the elements. And if nature didn’t provide an convenient boulder or tree to protect you and the kids, it would make sense to build your own.

From a practical point of view, learning how to make a shelter allows you to greatly expand your range in which to gather resources and protect yourself from adverse conditions. I would wager that the best shelters were the ones that required minimal effort – meaning they already existed as-is in nature. And example of this is a rock shelter, or cave.

But sometimes you’re not so fortunate to have these locations available, especially while traveling from one place to another, or if exploring unknown territory. In that case, you’d use your wits to bring your cave with you, or look and see what the animals do to survive.

In today’s video, I will introduce a few possible options for primitive shelters, some which wouldn’t leave a trace in the archaeological record. Next week, we’ll take our primitive technology discovered so far and test it in the wild. Let’s go!

Nests

Let’s talk about that nesting instinct. A simple shelter that chimpanzees and gorillas use is the nightly nest. By bending branches from a bush or tree inward to create a hammock of sorts, you’ve created your first shelter. This can be good give you protection from predators, and keep you off the ground and away from insects and critters. But, if you don’t grow a fur coat of your own, you’re vulnerable to rain and wind.

Rock shelters

The next easiest shelter is the rock shelter. If you have boulders, you’re in luck. Finding an outcrop that protects you from the elements and gives you a good view of the landscape is key. Add fire and hearth, and you are in good shape. And since it is all about the location and geology can change with time, in the long run there might not be a trace of this shelter left behind in the archaeological record.

Bushes

Sometimes, a bush is all there is. But that can be ok. Low crowned bushes can create an effective microenvironment that can do in a pinch. With your other survival technologies, a bush can be a simple, low-effort shelter that can get you safely through the night.

DIY

Lastly, by rearranging and nesting with rocks and branches, you can artificially construct your own outcrop, bush, or combination shelter. It takes effort, strength, and good health to do this, but if you can build up to this stage you are now able to open up vast new horizons with a treasure of new resources to explore.

In conclusion, I suspect that shelters have been built and used long before we found suspected evidence of them 400,000 years ago. But by then, there seems to be a record that were were building them for ourselves in order to better our lives. In our next video, I will test out what it is like to use one of these shelters in a harsh new environment, and share insights into what ancients humans might have experienced that drove them to create ever better shelters. Stay Tuned!

Primitive Technology

780,00 Year old BBQ? Archaeology and Humans on Fire

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When ancient humans first used fire to cook food

There’s no doubt that fire is one of the oldest and most fundamental tools that have humans have evolved to use. Fire made food easier to digest and safer to eat. It kept us warm at night, kept predators at bay, and gave us light when the sun was down. And most important of all – it gave us BBQ.

Recently, archaeologists from Tel Aviv University’s Steinhardt Museum of Natural History published a study based on the remains of fish teeth altered by high temperatures found by cooking with fire. Before this, use of fire by ancient humans was dated back to around 170,00 years ago. But with this new study, that has been pushed back to 780,000 years ago

Now, I invite you to speculate with me on an ancient scenario. We have fire. We have fish. The fish and the fire get combined, and we get delicious food. Then, someone with a talent and a “hunger” to take burned fish to the next level starts to play around, and gets good at cooking that fish juuuuuuust right. Bam! You have BBQ, stone age style.

In today’s video I am going to demonstrate how to create a fire and make some BBQ, just like they did in the olden days. Sit back, relax, and whet your appetite, because we are going to feast using the ancient technology of fire!

Primitive Technology

“Primitive” Technology Exposed- Stone Age Not Extinct

I recently did a poll asking what technology your wanted to see the most. Stone Age technology won, so today will be the start of our new series demonstrating the progression of stone age technology, and how it can still be used today.

Let’s look back in time to the very first technology attributed to ancient humans – stone tools.

The use of stone tools dates back to at least 2.6 million years, or even further. These ancient tools were very simple at first, consisting of chipping stones against stones to make simple edges, good for cutting and slicing. Humans were also using rocks for cracking and grinding plant material. Although these tools are ancient, they can still be used today for the same reasons.

Here I will demonstrate the use of stone tools to prepare food and materials.

In conclusion, it is safe to say that the Stone Age has not ended – we are still able to use these basic and ancient tools in our daily lives. Best of all, stone tools are ubiquitous and FREE. I encourage you to explore your ancient heritage by becoming reacquainted with stone tools and never be without tools to improve your survival again.

Primitive Technology

Primitive Technology – EXPOSED! Reality Fire with Hand Drill

Making fire by friction using a hand drill has the reputation for being the quintessential primitive technology. But if you are relying on that method without the proper preparation, you may find yourself cold, hungry, or dead.

But if you need to start a fire from complete scratch, a hand drill can work if you know how and what to do. There are three critical steps that must be met before you’ll have success. Those steps are: fitness, practice, and knowledge of local materials.

The first step, fitness, may not seem obvious. It is easy to imagine yourself starting fire with a hand drill when seeing it demonstrated on TV or video. But in a real life situation, if you are sick, injured, or simply out of shape, you’ll spend more energy than you can imagine without actually producing an ember. Even attempting the technique requires the use of the whole body, which would be hard or impossible if it is not in peak condition. Maintaining fitness and preserving health and soundness of body is the only way to ensure this technique is viable.

The second step is practice. Assuming you are fit, you will need to practice regularly to make sure you have the stamina and strength to see the process through. Also, your hands will need to develop callouses instead of blisters. This takes practice conditioning your hands.

Finally, knowledge of local materials is vital. Even an experienced hand drill operator may not find success without knowledge of when and what materials will make the best fire by friction. Preparing in advance by becoming familiar with local plant materials, when they are available throughout the year, and in what condition they will be useful will make or break your attempt.

In conclusion, making fire with a hand drill is not a spontaneous or easy method of producing fire by friction. If you are fit, in practice, and know exactly which materials are best, it can be effective. But in a survival situation, it shouldn’t be the first or only method you have available to start a fire.

Thanks for stopping by! If you have any questions or something to share, please leave a comment below. And don’t forget to subscribe to our YouTube Channel for more primitive technology reality!