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Did Homo floresiensis hunt Stegodon and use fire?

Asked 26 Oct 2026 by ·Part of From which earlier hominin did Homo floresiensis descend?·3 answers·0·0 following
Most likely: h. floresiensis scavenged carcasses after Komodo dragons and did not use fireAhead on the evidence, not yet confirmed. It needs two reviews to be accepted.

Where it stands

Three answers have been proposed. H. floresiensis scavenged carcasses after Komodo dragons and did not use fire. leads, with evidence 1 for: supported by its tests. Two are still possible.

Why it matters

Early accounts credited the species with hunting large game and using fire, which shaped arguments about what a small brain could do; a 2026 taphonomic study tests both⁠[1].

Answers 3

Evidence: 1 for
Most likely
H. floresiensis hunted Stegodon and used fire.
Failed a test; not refuted outright
Evidence: 1 against
Disputed
None of these.
Not tested enough to call either way
Evidence: none yet
Still possible

History

  1. Morwood et al. puts forward: h. floresiensis hunted Stegodon and used fire.
  2. Veatch et al. puts forward: h. floresiensis scavenged carcasses after Komodo dragons and did not use fire.
  3. Veatch et al.: komodo dragons had primary access; H. floresiensis scavenged low-utility elements; no intentional fire.Against: H. floresiensis hunted Stegodon and used fire.
  4. Veatch et al.: systematic taphonomy of the proboscidean assemblage supports this.For: H. floresiensis scavenged carcasses after Komodo dragons and did not use fire.
  5. Asked on this site
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