War Before Civilization: The Myth of the Peaceful Savage

Lawrence H. Keeley's "War Before Civilization" challenges the long-held notion of a "pacified past" in human history, asserting that warfare was a pervasive and significant aspect of pre-civilized societies. The author, Lawrence H. Keeley, reflects on his own and the archaeological community's initial reluctance to accept evidence of prehistoric violence, citing numerous examples from various global regions and time periods. He contrasts the academic and popular perception of "primitive" warfare as ritualistic and ineffective with archaeological and ethnographic evidence of frequent, brutal raids, massacres, and high casualty rates among bands, tribes, and chiefdoms. Furthermore, Keeley argues that prestate societies often exhibited greater frequencies of warfare and comparable levels of mobilization compared to civilized states, and that common assumptions about trade and intermarriage preventing conflict are often disproven by historical accounts. The text highlights how physical evidence and a re-evaluation of historical narratives reveal a far more violent prehistoric and primitive world than previously acknowledged, emphasizing the robust nature of archaeological data in correcting biased intellectual notions. Ultimately, the author suggests that understanding the true nature and prevalence of past conflicts is essential for considering future paths to peace.