Over the majority of human existence, our kind wandered across the globe, lived in tight-knit groups, pursued hunting and gathering, migrating based on the ebb and flow of climatic conditions. Our forebears harnessed fire for warmth and cooking, crafted tools, shelters, clothing, and ornaments, though their belongings were confined to what they could bear. Occasionally, they crossed paths with other hominins like Neanderthals, leading to inter-species encounters. Over immense periods, history unfurled, unscribed.
Approximately 10,000 years ago, a paradigm shift occurred.
In certain locales, humans began agriculture. They spent longer durations in one place, giving rise to villages and towns. Inventions from unsung luminaries included writing, currency, the wheel, and gunpowder. Within a relatively fleeting few millennia – an eyeblink on the evolutionary timescale – cities, empires, and industries proliferated globally. Presently, our planet is encircled by satellites in orbit and interconnected by internet cables. This phenomenon is unparalleled in history.
Archaeologists and anthropologists have endeavored to decode the reasons for this swift and remarkable transition. A dominant explanation narrates a kind of irreversible entrapment: once humans commenced farming, it set off a domino effect of escalating societal complexity that ultimately resulted in hierarchy, inequality, and environmental damage. This grim perspective of civilization’s ascent has been widely accepted for a long time. But as we study more societies, this narrative crumbles. Faced with contradicting evidence, we are compelled to reinterpret our origin story. This reinterpretation also leads us to reconsider what constitutes a society.
Our latest explorations into the evolution of civilizations reveal a spectrum of societal arrangements, with some leaning towards more egalitarian structures, while others towards hierarchical ones. Societies have manifested in a myriad of ways, often dictated by their environment, resources, and cultural influences.
As we look back, we find examples where the advent of agriculture did not immediately lead to hierarchy and inequality. The Nabta Playa people of the Sahara, for instance, practiced farming for over a thousand years without developing signs of significant social stratification.
Similarly, in North America, the indigenous people of the Pacific Northwest built complex societies based on fishing and gathering, rather than farming. They developed sophisticated art forms and complex social structures, all without the use of agriculture.
In the Andes, the Norte Chico civilization thrived for over a thousand years without evidence of a centralized authority. They built grand architectural marvels and developed advanced irrigation systems, yet they did so without a clear hierarchy.
These findings underscore the fact that the path to social complexity is not linear, and there isn’t a one-size-fits-all approach to societal development. The evolution of societies is influenced by a blend of environmental, cultural, and economic factors, each interacting in intricate ways that are still not fully understood.
By studying the development of these diverse societies, we can glean valuable insights about our shared human journey and better understand how to navigate the challenges and opportunities that lie ahead. As we retell our origin story, we not only reshape our understanding of the past but also reimagine the potential paths for our future.
