I am the skeptic that asks why and how does one know what happened so many years ago. I do believe that history, especially oral history is suggestive and not a clear guide to the past. However, what I have learned from the first class and from the first reading is that I really don't know enough to support my claims. I found that reading the How'd we know section at the end of the chapter was very helpful and gave me more understanding of what conclusions are made about the past. What stood out the most to me were of course the photos to include the most familiar cave drawing and Iceman.
How exciting would it be to find a cave drawing! I see the buffalo and the man or penguin, but I am not sure how the figure on the bottom left was interpreted as a rhinosorous. I don't see that. Were these people attempting to document their stories? If so, for what reason? I know that people keep diaries, so would this be the same? These are the thoughts that come to my mind. Maybe the cave drawing was significant in this persons life because he was about to be trampled by the buffalo or maybe it was his/her father that was trampled. For the need to document this event, it would have to be significant in this individuals life.
Iceman is incredible! I chose not to read this portion at night for obvious reasons of not wanting to dream about this preserved body. Reading about the gash wound in his back made me realize that humans by nature can be cruel and territorial. This story combined with the interview of Nisa made me believe that the core of human nature hasn't much evolved. Sure humans overall may be more compassionate and thoughtful of other living beings, but, at the core of humans (not all, but some) there are tendencies of evil and jealousy. Infidelity is another topic that seems to be brought up throughout history. Nisa seems to be very nonchalant about infidelity though and that it was not remorseful to have sexual relationships outside of a marriage that it was a norm in those days. Throughout history it was acceptable to have many wives at once, maybe this is where it rooted from. Was it with religion that people started to find value in marriage?
It seemed apparent to me that humans have an innate passion for creating and destroying ourselves and one another. I say this because from very early on, there was a need to create community, art, culture and spirituality. With community, culture and civilization humans also destroy each other. What was created to support and sustain life also created animosity, jealousy, territorial behaviours and destroyed life. The need to have more or be better, stronger and wiser came when there were more to posses. Our history has repeated itself! We have created inequality and I was surprised to find that it started with the beginning of civilization.
Is this why people seek to get out, get away from the envy, greed and very many possessions that drive us? There are many times I feel like escaping from the over abundance of the present day in America. Just as the folks seeking a simpler life in the 40s. Yet, how uncomfortable would I be seeking my own food or living off the land? Would I even survive? I had no idea that our roots of creating and sustaining go back to Mesopotamian times. You can see how we humans are creating the past mistakes. Take food for example, it is the substance that sustains human life and we have found many ways to manipulate it. for what purpose, to make a profit or feed the nation? When we mass produce there are many consequences in the quality of food and life just as when agriculture first began. So one could say that agriculture created inequality in our civilization.
My last thoughts are around the role of women and how it seems as though in Paleolithic times, women were highly regarded in the home or cave. There were no mirrors or other women around, so there probably wasn't much interest in ones need to be better or thinner than the next. Being a woman in paleolithic times may have been simple, do your household duty of gathering and preparing food, sweeping the cave, keep the children in line, companion your husband and have relations with the nearest caveman. Then civilization and communities popped up and women seemed to be still regarded fairly well in society, so when does the shift happen? Maybe they were regarded well in this time, but not as society figures because it seems there probably weren't a lot of female chiefs running around. I am looking forward to learning more about the gender roles throughout history and coming to realize where are present has been tailored. Which era had the most effect on modern day gender roles? To be continued....
