# Did Homo floresiensis hunt Stegodon and use fire? · Homo floresiensis, the origin of the Flores "hobbits"

> Three answers have been proposed. H. floresiensis scavenged carcasses after Komodo dragons and did not use fire. leads, with evidence 1 for: supported by…

Source: https://mysteriesdept.com/mysteries/homo-floresiensis/questions/QST0CZNMJJ63AEG/did-homo-floresiensis-hunt-stegodon-and-use-fire  
Publisher: Mysteries Department  
Licence: CC BY 4.0 (credit Mysteries Department and link the page)  
Updated: 2026-10-26T11:57:39+00:00  

---

**0**

# Did Homo floresiensis hunt Stegodon and use fire?

Asked 26 Oct 2026 by [**apollo** ](https://mysteriesdept.com/u/apollo)·Part of [From which earlier hominin did Homo floresiensis descend?](https://mysteriesdept.com/mysteries/homo-floresiensis/questions/QST0CZNMHTR12T1/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 fire** Ahead 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]](https://mysteriesdept.com/sources/SRC0CZNMB7T7AY4/taphonomic-analysis-at-liang-bua-reveals-the-behavioral-and).

## Answers 3



[**H. floresiensis scavenged carcasses after Komodo dragons and did not use fire.** ](https://mysteriesdept.com/mysteries/homo-floresiensis/answers/ANS0CZNMSMR1GBQ/h-floresiensis-scavenged-carcasses-after-komodo-dragons-and)

Supported by its tests

Evidence: 1 for

Most likely



[**H. floresiensis hunted Stegodon and used fire.** ](https://mysteriesdept.com/mysteries/homo-floresiensis/answers/ANS0CZNMS546S27/h-floresiensis-hunted-stegodon-and-used-fire)

Failed a test; not refuted outright

Evidence: 1 against

Disputed



[**None of these.** ](https://mysteriesdept.com/mysteries/homo-floresiensis/answers/ANS0CZNMT4C2W75/none-of-these)

Not tested enough to call either way

Evidence: none yet

Still possible

## History

1. 2004[Morwood et al. puts forward: h. floresiensis hunted Stegodon and used fire.](https://mysteriesdept.com/sources/SRC0CZNM6V60Q5W/archaeology-and-age-of-a-new-hominin-from-flores-in-eastern)
1. 2026[Veatch et al. puts forward: h. floresiensis scavenged carcasses after Komodo dragons and did not use fire.](https://mysteriesdept.com/sources/SRC0CZNMB7T7AY4/taphonomic-analysis-at-liang-bua-reveals-the-behavioral-and)
1. 2026[Veatch et al.: komodo dragons had primary access; H. floresiensis scavenged low-utility elements; no intentional fire.](https://mysteriesdept.com/sources/SRC0CZNMB7T7AY4/taphonomic-analysis-at-liang-bua-reveals-the-behavioral-and)Against: H. floresiensis hunted Stegodon and used fire.
1. 2026[Veatch et al.: systematic taphonomy of the proboscidean assemblage supports this.](https://mysteriesdept.com/sources/SRC0CZNMB7T7AY4/taphonomic-analysis-at-liang-bua-reveals-the-behavioral-and)For: H. floresiensis scavenged carcasses after Komodo dragons and did not use fire.
1. 26 Oct 2026Asked on this site

## Discussion 0

 [Add to the discussion](https://mysteriesdept.com/signin?next=/mysteries/homo-floresiensis/questions/QST0CZNMJJ63AEG/did-homo-floresiensis-hunt-stegodon-and-use-fire%23discussion)

Help with this question [

**Propose an answer** Something the evidence could support or rule out

] [

**Propose an answer** Something the evidence could support or rule out

](https://mysteriesdept.com/signin?next=/mysteries/homo-floresiensis/questions/QST0CZNMJJ63AEG/did-homo-floresiensis-hunt-stegodon-and-use-fire%23add-answer) [

**Add evidence** A result for or against an answer

] [

**Add evidence** A result for or against an answer

](https://mysteriesdept.com/signin?next=/mysteries/homo-floresiensis/questions/QST0CZNMJJ63AEG/did-homo-floresiensis-hunt-stegodon-and-use-fire%23add-evidence) [

**Ask a sub-question** A smaller question that would help settle this one

] [

**Ask a sub-question** A smaller question that would help settle this one

](https://mysteriesdept.com/signin?next=/mysteries/homo-floresiensis/questions/QST0CZNMJJ63AEG/did-homo-floresiensis-hunt-stegodon-and-use-fire%23add-question) [

**Add a source** A paper, archive record or image

] [

**Add a source** A paper, archive record or image

](https://mysteriesdept.com/signin?next=/mysteries/homo-floresiensis/questions/QST0CZNMJJ63AEG/did-homo-floresiensis-hunt-stegodon-and-use-fire%23add-source)

Where it fits

Homo floresiensis, the origin of the Flores "hobbits"

[**From which earlier hominin did Homo floresiensis descend?** ](https://mysteriesdept.com/mysteries/homo-floresiensis/questions/QST0CZNMHTR12T1/from-which-earlier-hominin-did-homo-floresiensis-descend)Key question · most likely an early Asian Homo erectus population reached Flores and evolved small body and brain size by insular…

**Did Homo floresiensis hunt Stegodon and use fire?** You're here · h. floresiensis scavenged carcasses after Komodo dragons and did not use fire

 [

Ask a question under this one

]