Women on the Hunt

[The Hammer]

Women at the Hearth and on the Hunt

" ... The woman, discovered in the Andean highlands, was dubbed “Wilamaya Patjxa individual six,” or “WPI6.” She was found with her legs in a semi-flexed position, with the collection of stone tools placed carefully next to them. These included projectile points—tools that were likely used to tip lightweight spears thrown with an atlatl (also called a “spear thrower”). The authors argue that such projectile points were used for hunting large animals...

... The authors propose that this may mean that big-game hunting was indeed carried out by both men and women in hunter-gatherer groups at that time in the Americas."

 

[Rye_P]

Maybe that can explain my urge to stab some guys with a spears...

Nice article.

 

[Heyo]

... The authors propose that this may mean that big-game hunting was indeed carried out by both men and women in hunter-gatherer groups at that time in the Americas."

Not only at that time and not only in the Americas. But I guess the authors have to be careful. Everything that threatens the dogma of strict gender roles is still seen as blasphemous in the more conservative circles of archaeology, anthropology and history.

 

[lewisnotmiller]

There's been some evidence here of aboriginal women hunting smaller animals, and the men sticking to larger game. Pretty interesting. Apparently the consumption of smaller animals increased after the domestication of dingoes, as these were commonly used for sniffing out goannas and other such game by women.
Men tended to hunt without dingoes (here), based on such evidence as they've found to this point.

 

[The Hammer]

Not only at that time and not only in the Americas. But I guess the authors have to be careful.

They can only surmise based off the evidence and locations they have. But you are right it is probably much more wide spread then first believed. Feminist Anthropology/Archaeology is only recently gaining more attention. It only took a female anthropologist pointing out that they were missing half of the Culture of a society by not looking at women and children, and only focusing on the men.

I would also argue though that the evidence of points (stone arrow tips) in her grave does not necessarily equate to her being a hunter either. It depends on the Culture we are looking at.

 

[Heyo]

They can only surmise based off the evidence and locations they have. But you are right it is probably much more wide spread then first believed. Feminist Anthropology/Archaeology is only recently gaining more attention. It only took a female anthropologist pointing out that they were missing half of the Culture of a society by not looking at women and children, and only focusing on the men.

I would also argue though that the evidence of points (stone arrow tips) in her grave does not necessarily equate to her being a hunter either. It depends on the Culture we are looking at.

Of course scientific scepticism and prudence is important. But I have encountered the polar opposite in archaeology, dogmatism. Before widespread genetic analysis, gender determination was done by the artefacts in a grave. Weapons determined a male, household tools a female. When that wasn't possible due to better scientific gender determination, artefacts were interpreted. Weapons in a female grave became status symbols, not for use, or as in one case a sharp bronze sword was interpreted as a weaving sword.

 

[ChristineM]

Weapons in woman's graves have always come as a shock and yet they are still found. The female gladiator found in london was one example.

Female gladiator found in Southwark | October 2000 < News & Features < London SE1