To support this point,Keeley provides a wide-ranging look at warfare and brutality in the prehistoricworld. Lawrence Keeley's groundbreaking WarBefore Civilization offers a devastating rebuttal to such comfortable myths anddebunks the notion that warfare was introduced to primitive societies throughcontact with civilization (an idea he denounces as "the pacification of thepast").Building on much fascinating archeological and historical research and offeringan astute comparison of warfare in civilized and prehistoric societies, frommodern European states to the Plains Indians of North America, War BeforeCivilization convincingly demonstrates that prehistoric warfare was in fact moredeadly, more frequent, and more ruthless than modern war.
Prehistoric warfare, according to thisview, was little more than a ritualized game, where casualties were limited andthe effects of aggression relatively mild. What are the causes of war? Are human beings inherently violent? How can we ensure peace in our own time? Challenging some of our most dearly held beliefs, Keeley's conclusions are bound to stir controversy.The myth of the peace-loving "noble savage" is persistent and pernicious.Indeed, for the last fifty years, most popular and scholarly works have agreedthat prehistoric warfare was rare, harmless, unimportant, and, like smallpox, adisease of civilized societies alone. Finally, and perhaps most controversially, he examines the evidence of cannibalism among some preliterate peoples.īut Keeley goes beyond grisly facts to address the larger moral and philosophical issues raised by his work. Kinds of warfare, again finding little moral distinction between ancient warriors and civilized armies. He cites evidence of ancient massacres in many areas of the world, and surveys the prevalence of looting, destruction, and trophy-taking in all Societies through contact with civilization.īuilding on much fascinating archeological and historical research and offering an astute comparison of warfare in civilized and prehistoric societies, from modern European states to the Plains Indians of North America, Keeley convincingly demonstrates that prehistoric warfare was in fact more deadly, more frequent, and more ruthless than modern war. Lawrence Keeley's groundbreaking War Before Civilization offers a devastating rebuttal to such comfortable myths and debunks the notion that warfare was introduced to primitive According to this view, it was little more than a ritualized game, where casualties were limited and the effects of aggression relatively mild.
For the last fifty years, most popular and scholarly works have agreed that prehistoric warfare was rare, harmless, and unimportant.
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