A bioenergetic approach favors the preservation and protection of prey, not cooking, as the drivers of early fire

Miki Ben-Dor^*Ran Barkai^*

• Tel Aviv University, Tel Aviv, Israel

Introduction: The use of fire marks a critical milestone in human evolution, with its initial purposes debated among scholars. While cooking is often cited as the primary driver, this study proposes that meat and fat preservation, and predator protection were more likely the initial motivations for fire use by Homo erectus during the Lower Paleolithic (1.9–0.78 Ma).Methods: Employing a bioenergetic approach, we compared the energetic returns of hunting versus plant gathering using ethnographic data, adjusted for Lower Paleolithic conditions. The caloric content of East African prey was calculated to assess consumption duration. Archaeological evidence from early fire sites was analyzed for associations with large fauna.Results: Hunting large prey (>100 kg) yielded significantly higher energetic returns (16,269 ca/h) than plant gathering (1,443 ca/h), with megaherbivores like hippopotamus providing sustenance for up to 22 days for a group of 25. Early fire sites consistently contained large fauna remains, suggesting prolonged prey consumption. Cooking offered modest energetic gains (e.g., ~1,200 ca/h for meat), insufficient to offset fire maintenance costs, unlike preservation and protection.