The archeology of human aggressiveness: violence from a paleo-epidemiological perspective

Abstract

Acute traumatic injuries provide direct evidence that is used in studies of violence in the past. When analyzed from a paleo-epidemiological perspective and in conjunction with data from the material culture, these injuries are an important tool in the interpretation of human aggressive behavior. The latter, which seems to underlie human nature itself, has been recorded as far back as the remote time of man's ancestral hominids and in any type of social organization. By studying the pattern and distribution of blow marks and other signs of physical aggression, we contribute to our understanding not only of the emergence, use, motives, and impact of violence down through time but also of its continuance today.