From the Stone Age to the Bronze Age, women have been an integral part of the evolution of human society. Unlike our Judeo-Christian patriarchal society, prehistoric cultures were usually egalitarian, and women enjoyed equal status and opportunities as their male counterparts. Most prehistoric societies’ roles revolved around hunting, gathering, and taking care of the young.
One crucial role for women was food gathering. They were responsible for gathering fruits, nuts, and plants. Often, it’s believed that between 70-80% of the diet of prehistoric people came from their gathering efforts, making their role vital in their society. There is also evidence that suggests women were often involved in hunting, typically gathering small animals through the use of traps and snares.
As prehistoric societies grew larger, hunting became more significant, and the roles for men and women started to differentiate. Men would take on roles that needed physical prowess, such as big game hunting or fishing, while women would continue to gather, care for children, and craft tools from bones and stones. The division of labor was integral in the prehistoric world as it allowed them to maximize input to meet the community’s needs.
Childbearing played a significant role in prehistoric societies. Women who could reproduce were highly valued for ensuring the continuation of the clan or tribe. In cultures where reproduction was scarce, women who struggled to conceive resorted to using different herbs or seeking the help of shamans to enable their fertility.
Although prehistoric women were usually confined to domestic roles, our understanding of their significance in society is growing. Evidence suggests that women also had spiritual or religious powers as they would often communicate with spirits or act as spiritual leaders in their communities. Their importance in prehistoric society was also evident through early artwork that has been discovered, depicting women with great symbolism.
In conclusion, the role of women in the prehistoric world was incredibly essential, yet their contributions have often been overlooked. Women played a crucial part in food gathering, and their skills in this regard were highly valued. Women’s purity as childbearers was seen as a vital function in the tribe’s continuation. The development of these societies relied on the equal partnership between men and women in prehistoric societies, and their unique strengths and abilities made it possible for them to survive and prosper.