Skeletons hint that ancient societies had women warriors

Traditional views of women as homemakers may be flawed

By Bruce Bower

May 28, 2020 at 6:30 am

History has suggested ancient societies left warfare to men. But remains of North American hunter-gatherers and Mongolian herders now suggest differently. Skeletons show signs that some women in these communities were warriors.

Long ago, societies assigned certain jobs to men and women. But these roles were not strictly enforced, two new studies suggest. Anthropology is the study of human societies. It long held that hunters were men and gatherers were women. But that view now appears flawed and too simple, says Marin Pilloud. She is a forensic anthropologist who works at the University of Nevada, Reno.

She and other scientists had planned to share their new findings at a scientific meeting in April. But the meeting was canceled due to the coronavirus pandemic. The scientists now describe their research to Science News for Students.

Bone clues
Groups of hunter-gatherers lived in central California from 5,000 to 200 years ago. Pilloud and her colleagues examined more than 400 skeletons of people from 19 of those groups.

More:
https://www.sciencenewsforstudents.org/article/women-warriors-skeletons-ancient-people