The history of fire use and its effects on human sociality

Fire, one of the earliest forms of technology, has been part of human culture for at least 1.5 million years. Initial interactions with fire and use of fire eventually turned into the control of fire. While non-human primates have a better relationship with fire than most animals, humans are the only species that control fire. Both the importance of fire and variety of purposes it served gradually increased through human history. This review summarizes the origins and early forms of human fire use. It analyses fire’s effects on human life with the purpose of determining how fire use shaped human sociality. Fire use changed the human daily cycle by allowing people to stay awake during nighttime. This additional awake time was used primarily for socialization. It contributed to the development of language by fireside communication. Likewise advanced human creativity and imagination by fireside storytelling. Undeniable parallels between fireside storytelling and contemporary mass media are uncovered. Fire use also necessitated the development of advanced human cooperation due to considerable costs of maintaining fire. Time spent awake during dark hours was first made possible by fire use. In terms of activities performed by both past and current societies, it is unique from both daytime and nighttime. This suggests that a third phase of the human daily cycle must be defined.