why stone age man was no Neanderthal
Manchester University reveals why stone age man was no Neanderthal
Dr Karina Coucher with a replica of 'Kim'
The ‘new man’ could learn from his stone age counterpart about getting in touch with his feminine side – according to Manchester University researchers.
Archaeology experts claim to have found proof that men living 10,000 years ago were more enlightened and compassionate than modern males.
Dr Karina Coucher studied the burial sites of people living in the Middle East thousands of years ago and found a ‘death pit’ with the remains of 40 people showed evidence of great equality between the genders.
Dr Coucher said her findings prove stereotypical views of women being historically subservient to men were not accurate.
She said: “When human remains from across the region are examined, it becomes apparent that it was difficult for the living to let go of their loved ones.
“Human faces were recreated onto the skulls of the dead using plaster, and they were cared for within houses. This treatment was not dependent on age or gender, but according to relationships and emotive ties.
“This and other evidence shows that it’s clear the relationship between men and women during the Neolithic Period does not conform to the modern age.
“Men and women were treated equally in death and were shown equal compassion, and their tasks were likely to be thought of as equal during life.
“Our biases in the present were not relevant to our ancestors, and are not natural or inherent behaviours.”
The researcher argues that male bias in archaeology has distorted our understanding of how ancient peoples lived, in a new book published by Oxford University Press.
Of the 40 people buried in the ‘death pit’ in south eastern Turkey, where she was part of an excavation team, there were equal numbers of men and women.
Her theory is also partly based on the find of a skull of a teenage girl, called Kim by the team, buried carefully by the side of the pit.
The girl – between 15 and 17 years old – was carefully placed next to the death pit along with pottery, flint, obsidian, and other materials.