The Archaeology of Hunter-Gatherers
Published online by Cambridge University Press: 28 October 2026
This chapter provides a wide-ranging analysis of the archaeological evidence for intergroup peaceful cooperation and intergroup conflict – both lethal and non-lethal – among prehistoric hunter-gatherers across world regions. It first considers evidence of peaceful group interactions, in the form of long-distance networks of exchange. It then examines the prehistoric archaeological evidence for interpersonal and intergroup conflict (lethal and non-lethal) in Africa, southwest Asia, Europe, southeast Asia and Australia, northeast Asia, and the Americas based on four sources: human skeletal remains, defensive structures, weapons, and rock art.
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