A bioarchaeological perspective on the history of violence

Traumatic injuries in ancient human skeletal remains area direct source of evidence for testing theories of warfare and violence that are not subject to the interpretative difficulties posed by literary creations such as hist orical records and ethnographic reports. Bioarchaeological research shows t hat throughout the history of our species, interpersonal violence, especial ly among men, has been prevalent. Cannibalism seems to have been widespread , and mass killings, homicides, and assault injuries are also well document ed in both the Old and New Worlds. No form of social organization, mode of production. or environmental setting appears to have remained free from int erpersonal violence for long.