ABSTRACT
In this chapter, the authors examine an ancient settlement of hunters and gatherers in China, and the adaptation of hunters, gatherers, and agriculturalists in North America. This site lies in the temperate woodland biome, and they have evidence that at the time this site was first inhabited by people, the climate and biome were quite similar to those of the present day. In the first place it is clear that they lived for at least part of the year in caves, and that with wood for fuel they relied extensively on fire for warmth and protection. When the authors examine groups such as the Iroquois, it is clear that their facilitative technology was quite complex for they used ceramic containers, storage pits etc. Finally, it is fascinating to recognize that all the archaeological evidence points to the fact that the key to the expansion of human populations into the temperate zones was their ability to harness and control fire.
