Lesotho’s mountain life was harsh for early humans: fire made all the difference

By Kyra Pazan, Assistant Professor of Anthropology, California State University, Stanislaus
Andrew Carr, Senior Lecturer, University of Leicester

When imagining our early human ancestors in prehistoric Africa hundreds of thousands of years ago, one might envision trekkers plodding across a savanna, baking under an equatorial sun.

Research, however, suggests that our species’ unique strengths – creativity, cooperation and adaptability – may have been honed in a very different environment. Our team of archaeologists has uncovered a story in which mountainous landscapes played a central role in making us human.

Today, those of us who like to explore mountains have technical gear and conveniences like GPS safety beacons,…

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