Look — ancient cave artists used these three tools to paint in the dark

Our ancient ancestors spent a lot of time in caves. Just look at the plethora of art, tools, and remains that have been uncovered by archaeologists.

But how were early humans able to see in an incredibly dark place?

In a study published in the journal PLOS One, the team described three tools that Paleolithic-era humans likely used: torches, fireplaces, and grease lamps.

Trace remains of all three tools have been found in caves in Southwest Europe.

The researchers replicated the tools and tested their efficacy in a cave in the Basque region of northern Spain.

However, the team reports that the air currents in their test cave may have not been the most ideal for this type of lighting.

The authors don’t make a declaration that one tool is better than all the rest; rather they say each one had different benefits for different kinds of tasks that early humans did in caves.

And replications like these help us better picture what life was like for our early ancestors.