Wars, long before the thought – Terra Colombia

The wars have been a constant in societies, but when the first inter-group clashes occurred? A study published in the journal Nature reveals that between 3,000 and 4,000 years earlier than thought: 10,000 years ago.

Specifically, the researchers, led by Marta Mirazon Lahr and Robert Foley, University of Cambridge (UK), this article describes the evidence of violence between two groups 10,000 years ago on the shores of Lake Turkana (Kenya).

To do this, scientists -implicados in the In-Africa- project analyzed fossils found in 2012 on the site of Nataruk, southwest of that lake, where they found human remains of 27 individuals indicates Maíllo Efe Jose Manuel Fernandez, Department of Prehistory and Archaeology of the National University of Distance Education (UNED) and one of the authors.

The fossil remains belonged to 21 adult (eight men, eight women and five indeterminate) and six children, all under six years, except for a teenager between twelve and fifteen .

also found a fetus between six and eight months into the abdominal cavity of one of the women, which is one of the tests of cruelty and violence used, says Maíllo.

Ten individuals showed evidence of violence ‘Perimortem’ as presumably of impact marks or fractures arrows- violent action, while two others were found with their hands bound, which is It can be interpreted as they were tied.

“The position of the bodies did not follow any clear provision, either in its orientation, a clear evidence of abandonment after death,” says Maíllo.

The reason for the slaughter remains uncertain. The authors speculate that it may be the result of a raid for resources, land or food, but also suggest that just might have been a “standard antagonistic response” between two groups that are not like each other and fight.

These data are significant because until now war was linked with the former, in addition to producers hierarchical and sedentary societies, adds the scientist.

In addition, the violence was related to food shortages, which did not occur in this area (the location of the site is now desert but 10,000 years ago was a typical African savannah abundant wildlife living on the shores of the lake).

Nataruk findings imply, therefore, the oldest scientifically proven case of violence between two groups of hunters and gatherers “challenge theories about the origin and age of war” according to Marta Mirazon Argentina.

Until now, the scientific community held the first inter-group clashes occurred about 6,000 or 7,000 years ago, although this work the delay between 3,000 and 4,000 years.

“But the most important finding is not your think Nataruk date intergroup violence could be even more Antigua-, but the fact that the conflict occurred between two groups hunter-gatherers “argues Mirazon Efe.

This work shows for both the first scientific evidence of violence 10,000 years ago. Evidence that war, understood at a lower scale than that of now-may be prior to that date do not yet exist, although the authors of this study suggest yes.

The one fact speaks scientific literature is for a previous violence but not on specific individuals and groups.

“We have small specific pills but we first hunter-gatherer groups evidence of intergroup conflict, a war,” said Maíllo.

In his view, there is evidence that this chapter could be common in other areas.

To reach these conclusions, taxonomic, forensic, taphonomic, geophysical studies were conducted, and an analysis of the tools found -Responsibility, among others, Maíllo-, as arrows, made of obsidian not identified in the area indicates that the group that could be launched from elsewhere.