• About
  • Privacy Policy
  • Terms of Use
  • Donation
  • Contact
No Result
View All Result
Archaeology News
  • Home
  • News
    • Archaeology
    • Anthropology
    • Paleontology
  • Academics
    • Books
    • Conferences
    • Universities
  • Articles
  • VR Tours
  • Quiz & Game
  • Download
  • Encyclopedia
  • Forum
Archaeology News
No Result
View All Result
Home News Archaeology

Early women were hunters in most foraging societies, study suggests

by Dario Radley
June 30, 2023

New evidence challenges long-held beliefs about the gendered division of labor in hunter-gatherer societies, revealing that women have been actively involved in hunting, fishing, and warfare throughout history. Recent archaeological findings and analysis of ethnographic reports from the past century suggest that women have played a significant role in providing food and contributing to human survival.

Early women were hunters in most foraging societies, study suggests
Credit: Matthew Verdolivo/UC Davis IET Academic Technology Services

A comprehensive review led by Abigail Anderson of Seattle Pacific University examined 63 modern foraging societies from various regions, including the Americas, Africa, Australia, Asia, and the Oceanic region.

The analysis revealed that nearly 80 percent of these societies had evidence of female hunting, and in cases where hunting was the primary source of food, women actively participated in hunting 100 percent of the time.

Contrary to common assumptions, women did not let childcare hinder their hunting activities, as they often brought their children, including infants, along with them.

The research challenges the traditional notion of “man the hunter” and “woman the gatherer,” highlighting that women have been involved in hunting for millennia. Female hunters employ unique strategies and toolkits compared to their male counterparts.

RelatedStories

Pregnancy in the Viking Age: new study reveals hidden power, politics, and social inequality

Pregnancy in the Viking Age: new study reveals hidden power, politics, and social inequality

May 14, 2025
Bronze Age Nubian women carried heavy loads on their heads, study reveals

Bronze Age Nubian women carried heavy loads on their heads, study reveals

April 24, 2025

For example, Agta women in the Philippines use knives and often hunt in teams during the day, while men primarily use bows and arrows and hunt alone at night.

Moreover, women exhibit specialization in hunting specific prey. In societies like the Tiwi in Australia, women primarily hunt small animals, while men focus on larger game. In the Matses society of the Peruvian Amazon, women specialize in hunting large game using sticks and machetes.

Historically, scientific bias has contributed to the overlooking of female hunters. For instance, archaeologists often assumed that human remains found near weapons belonged to males, leading to an underrepresentation of female warriors. Recent discoveries, however, have challenged these assumptions, demonstrating the presence of female warriors in Viking and Scythian cultures.

The study emphasizes the need to reassess existing paradigms and interpretations of archaeological and ethnographic data, ensuring that biases do not shape scientific understanding. By acknowledging the extensive evidence of women’s involvement in hunting and other “violent” activities, a more accurate representation of female behavior emerges.

Women’s contributions to hunting are not limited to participation alone but also extend to the development of specialized skills. Different cultures exhibit variations in hunting tools and strategies used by women, reflecting distinct training regimes and cultural norms surrounding hunting, meat processing, and consumption.

Women hunters often display greater flexibility in hunting strategies and engage in partnerships with a diverse range of individuals, including husbands, other women, children, and dogs. In contrast, men primarily hunt alone or with a single partner.

The specialization and flexibility exhibited by women hunters challenge the perception that hunting is exclusively a male domain.

Contrary to the belief that childcare hinders women’s hunting activities, research suggests that infants and children frequently accompany adults on hunting expeditions. Various foraging societies have evidence of children being carried during hunts, highlighting the importance of infants remaining with adults. This challenges the notion that women’s caregiving responsibilities prevent their active participation in hunting.

The Hunt Scene found in the Magura Cave, Bulgaria.
The Hunt Scene found in the Magura Cave, Bulgaria. Credit: Klearchos Kapoutsis via Flickr

The data compiled from ethnographic reports demonstrate that women in foraging societies across the world have historically engaged in hunting, regardless of their child-bearing status.

These findings disrupt the traditional hunter/gatherer paradigm and emphasize the diversity and flexibility of human subsistence cultures. By recognizing the contributions of women to hunting, a more inclusive framework can be developed to understand human culture.

The study calls for a reevaluation of archaeological evidence, a reassessment of ethnographic data, and a deconstruction of the “man the hunter” narrative. The term “forager” is proposed as a more inclusive alternative that acknowledges the non-sexual division of labor in hunting and gathering.

By embracing this new perspective, future research can better interpret past and future discoveries in the context of female hunters and challenge preconceived notions about gender roles.

The study was published in PLOS ONE.

More information: Anderson A, Chilczuk S, Nelson K, Ruther R, Wall-Scheffler C (2023) The Myth of Man the Hunter: Women’s contribution to the hunt across ethnographic contexts. PLOS ONE 18(6): e0287101. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0287101


Stay updated with us! Follow us on Google News, Flipboard, Facebook, Instagram, Threads, Twitter, and Linkedin, and join our WhatsApp and Telegram channels for the latest in archaeology, all directly on your favorite platforms!
Share1Tweet1ShareShareSend

You May Also Like...

Earliest use of psychoactive plant 'harmal' uncovered in ancient Arabia for health and healing
Archaeology

Earliest use of psychoactive plant ‘harmal’ uncovered in ancient Arabia for health and healing

May 24, 2025
roman-massacre-myth-at-maiden-castle-1
Anthropology

New study debunks Roman massacre myth at Maiden Castle, Britain’s iconic ‘war cemetery’

May 24, 2025
18th-century brass eagle found in Polish forest may link to Kościuszko Uprising
Archaeology

18th-century brass eagle found in Polish forest may link to Kościuszko Uprising

May 23, 2025
High-tech deep ocean mission unveils never-before-seen images of lost WWI submarine
Archaeology

High-tech deep ocean mission unveils never-before-seen images of lost WWI submarine

May 23, 2025
Sex workers in medieval brothel: infant burial reveals unexpected maternal care
Anthropology

Sex workers in medieval brothel: infant burial reveals unexpected maternal care

May 22, 2025
Rare winged Roman goddess statue unearthed near Hadrian’s Wall at Vindolanda
Archaeology

Rare winged Roman goddess statue unearthed near Hadrian’s Wall at Vindolanda

May 22, 2025

Follow us


Instagram
247K

Facebook
105K

Threads
42K

LinkedIn
12K

Twitter
6K

YouTube
1K
  • Trending
  • Comments
  • Latest
Viking age DNA reveals 9,000-year-old HIV-resistant gene originating near the Black Sea

Viking age DNA reveals 9,000-year-old HIV-resistant gene originating near the Black Sea

May 18, 2025
Ancient Chinese star chart dated to 2,300 years ago may be the oldest ever, challenging astronomy history

Ancient Chinese star chart dated to 2,300 years ago may be the oldest ever, challenging astronomy history

May 17, 2025
Silver amulet unearthed in Frankfurt grave Is the oldest evidence of Christianity north of the Alps

Silver amulet unearthed in Frankfurt grave Is the oldest evidence of Christianity north of the Alps

December 15, 2024
Medieval man with crippled knee reveals disability care in Sweden

Medieval man with crippled knee reveals disability care in Sweden

May 17, 2025
Ancient DNA confirms Picuris Pueblo’s ancestral link to Chaco Canyon

Ancient DNA confirms Picuris Pueblo’s ancestral link to Chaco Canyon

May 1, 2025
$1 million prize offered to decipher 5,300-year-old Indus Valley script

$1 million prize offered to decipher 5,300-year-old Indus Valley script

Oldest ever genetic data from a human relative found in 2-million-year-old fossilized teeth

Oldest ever genetic data from a human relative found in 2-million-year-old fossilized teeth

A 21-year-old student successfully deciphered the first word from the Herculaneum scrolls, charred during Mount Vesuvius' eruption

A 21-year-old student successfully deciphered the first word from the Herculaneum scrolls, charred during Mount Vesuvius’ eruption

Oldest US firearm discovered in Arizona: a 500-year-old relic of Coronado's expedition

Oldest US firearm discovered in Arizona: a 500-year-old relic of Coronado’s expedition

New evidence reveals the source of mercury in the mausoleum of the first Qin emperor

New evidence reveals the source of mercury in the mausoleum of the first Qin emperor

Earliest use of psychoactive plant 'harmal' uncovered in ancient Arabia for health and healing

Earliest use of psychoactive plant ‘harmal’ uncovered in ancient Arabia for health and healing

May 24, 2025
roman-massacre-myth-at-maiden-castle-1

New study debunks Roman massacre myth at Maiden Castle, Britain’s iconic ‘war cemetery’

May 24, 2025
18th-century brass eagle found in Polish forest may link to Kościuszko Uprising

18th-century brass eagle found in Polish forest may link to Kościuszko Uprising

May 23, 2025
High-tech deep ocean mission unveils never-before-seen images of lost WWI submarine

High-tech deep ocean mission unveils never-before-seen images of lost WWI submarine

May 23, 2025
Sex workers in medieval brothel: infant burial reveals unexpected maternal care

Sex workers in medieval brothel: infant burial reveals unexpected maternal care

May 22, 2025

Archaeology News online magazine

Archaeology News is an international online magazine that covers all aspects of archaeology.











Categories

  • Academics
    • Books
    • Conferences
    • Universities
  • Articles
  • Download
  • Game
  • News
    • Anthropology
    • Archaeology
    • Paleontology
  • Quiz
  • Tours

Subscribe to our newsletter

© 2024 - Archaeology News Online Magazine. All Rights Reserved.

  • About
  • Privacy Policy
  • Terms of Use
  • Donation
  • Contact

Welcome Back!

Login to your account below

Forgotten Password? Sign Up

Create New Account!

Fill the forms below to register

All fields are required. Log In

Retrieve your password

Please enter your username or email address to reset your password.

Log In

Add New Playlist

  • Home
  • News
    • Archaeology
    • Anthropology
    • Paleontology
  • Academics
    • Books
    • Conferences
    • Universities
  • Articles
  • VR Tours
  • Quiz & Game
  • Download
  • Encyclopedia
  • Forum

About  .  Contact  .  Donation

© 2024 - Archaeology News Online Magazine. All Rights Reserved

We use cookies to improve your experience and enable functionality and security of this site. Further detail is available in our Privacy Policy. By accepting all cookies, you consent to our use of cookies and use of data.