Are We But Brutal Primates?

Hello fellow history enthusiasts,

I suspect many of you share my feeling that we are living through particularly unusual and turbulent times. While I generally make a conscious effort to maintain a positive outlook and focus on the good, I must admit this has grown increasingly difficult in recent years. Stupidity, ignorance and brutality seem all too prominent among our species at present. History tells us that such traits often mark periods of transition. Whether this change will ultimately lead to better or worse outcomes remains to be seen. Historians of the future will look back with the benefit of hindsight and attempt to identify the key developments that shaped our time—what now feels chaotic to us may one day be rendered into narrative.

But the study of history (and prehistory) would be of little value if it could not offer insight for the present or guidance for the future. Everything we learn to help us navigate life and shape what lies ahead is, by necessity, rooted in the past. So if we are seeking explanations for the present, it makes sense to turn to those with a deep understanding of our history.

In their book Die Evolution der Gewalt (The Evolution of Violence), three such experts—archaeologist Harald Meller, historian and literary scholar Kai Michel, and behavioural scientist and evolutionary biologist Carel van Schaik—investigate a foundational question: Is war part of human nature, embedded in our genes, or is it a cultural phenomenon? The answer has significant implications. If violence is innate, we might be doomed to an eternal cycle of conflict. But if it is cultural, then it is of our own making—and culture, by definition, can be changed.

Spoiler alert: The authors convincingly demonstrate that for hundreds of thousands of years, there is no evidence of anything resembling tribal warfare. No raids, no massacres, no fortifications, no weapons designed specifically for war. While occasional interpersonal violence did occur, the overall picture shows that human survival was driven not by aggression, but by creativity, empathy, and cooperation. We are, as the authors put it, “the compassionate apes”.

So why—and when—did this change? Why did a generally peaceful and egalitarian species become entangled in cycles of hierarchy, violence, and domination?

The earliest evidence of large-scale violence emerges in the Mesolithic period, long before the advent of agriculture. In areas where post-glacial nature provided abundant resources, some hunter-gatherer groups settled down. They built homes and storehouses—and began to claim territory. The invention of land ownership was the seed of inequality, hierarchy, patriarchy, misogyny, exploitation and ultimately, warfare. The arms race began, evolving from wooden clubs to bronze swords, and eventually to drones.

Exactly how this shift occurred—how homo sapiens became enmeshed in increasingly complex and violent systems—is the subject of this compelling and illuminating book. I found its comprehensive look at human development both insightful and helpful in understanding why elements of the human psyche can be so easily manipulated into serving inhumane ideologies, or why people are drawn to social media and deceived by populist nonsense and conspiracy-mongering.

If you enjoyed Harari’s Sapiens, this book—rich in recent research—will be for you. If you are looking for intelligent perspectives on who we are and where we come from, Die Evolution der Gewalt is for you. And if, like Neo, you feel that something is off, and that a better world must be possible, then I say: read this book.

Gird Yourself!

Admittedly, our mutual passion—the sword—is the very embodiment of interpersonal conflict. Yet unlike its predecessors (the club, the war axe, or the Bronze Age Stabdolch), it has also become a symbol of justice, service and chivalry. Thankfully, when we draw swords today, it is for training, recreation, and spirited practice among friends.

But of course, to draw a sword properly, you need a scabbard!

I continue to share research and practical guidance on how to craft period-appropriate scabbards for your swords (and if you'd prefer to commission one—just ask, I’m always delighted to make things).

In the latest post in my ongoing series, I share how I crafted the sword belt for my new 14th-century-style scabbard.

So, that's it for today. Three cheers for swords, scabbards, and sharp minds!

Roland

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