Hunter-Gatherer Societies: From the Present to the Past PDF

# Hunter-Gatherer Societies: From the Present to the Past As our knowledge of present-day hunter-gatherers increased through studies by anthropologists, a question arose about whether the information about living hunters and gatherers could be used to understand past societies. Currently, there are...

# Hunter-Gatherer Societies: From the Present to the Past As our knowledge of present-day hunter-gatherers increased through studies by anthropologists, a question arose about whether the information about living hunters and gatherers could be used to understand past societies. Currently, there are two opposing views on this issue. - One side includes scholars who have directly applied specific data from present-day hunter-gatherer societies to interpret the archaeological remains of the past. For example, some archaeologists have suggested that the hominid sites, dated to 2 mya, along the margins of Lake Turkana could have been dry season camps of early humans, because such a practice has been observed among the Hadza and the !Kung San. - On the other side are scholars who feel that ethnographic data cannot be used for understanding past societies as the two are totally different. For instance, present-day hunter-gatherer societies pursue several other economic activities along with hunting and gathering. These include engaging in exchange and trade in minor forest produce, or working as paid laborers in the fields of neighboring farmers. Moreover, these societies are totally marginalized in all senses - geographically, politically and socially. The conditions in which they live are very different from those of early humans. Another problem is that there is tremendous variation amongst living hunter-gatherer societies. There are conflicting data on many issues such as the relative importance of hunting and gathering, group sizes, or the movement from place to place. Also, there is little consensus regarding the division of labor in food procurement. Although today generally women gather and men hunt, there are societies where both women and men hunt and gather and make tools. In any case, the important role of women in contributing to the food supply in such societies cannot be denied. It is perhaps this factor that ensures a relatively equal role for both women and men in present-day hunter-gatherer societies, although there are variations. While this may be the case today, it is difficult to make any such inference for the past.