All,
The following is already online on the Science website -
CLICK HERE.Goren-Inbar, Naama, Nira Alperson, Mordecai E. Kislev, Orit Simchoni, Yoel Melamed, Adi Ben-Nun, and Ella Werker. 2004. Evidence of Hominin Control of Fire at Gesher Benot Ya'aqov, Israel. Science 304: 725-727.
Abstract:
The presence of burned seeds, wood, and flint at the Acheulian site of Gesher Benot Ya'aqov in Israel is suggestive of the control of fire by humans nearly 790,000 years ago. The distribution of the site's small burned flint fragments suggests that burning occurred in specific spots, possibly indicating hearth locations. Wood of six taxa was burned at the site, at least three of which are edible – olive, wild barley, and wild grape.
The arguments put forward (in the article) in support of the possible presence of "hearths" are quite convincing – with all that implies in terms of very early human fire technology, but I would be a bit more hesitant (than the authors) to assume that these somewhat discrete burned "spots" could not have been caused by natural fires.
Jacques Cinq-Mars
