Are Women the Weaker Sex?

"A mass grave of skeletons investigated by Durham University-led researchers suggests that neighboring tribes from prehistoric times were prepared to brutally kill their male rivals to secure their women."

The above was taken from Science Daily and is entitled, "Men Fighting Over Women? It's Nothing New, Suggests Research." The original article can be viewed here: http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/06/080602214132.htm

The findings are based on extensive analysis of human remains found in Talheim, Germany. The site is dated to approximately 5,000 BCE. In terms of gender, the social organization of the group is currently unknown. Based on the skeletal remains, it seems the group was attacked by another group who chose to kill all the men and children and left only the women of the group alive. The victors systematically buried the men in a mass grave:

"Skeletal experts determined the majority had been killed by a blow to the left side of the head, suggesting the victims were bound and killed, probably with a stone axe. Others may have been killed from arrow wounds from behind as if the victims had tried to flee."

According to the researchers, it is likely the women were taken from the site.

The research does bring to light the interesting notion that women, at least in the eyes of the opposing group, were viewed as property and as a valuable resource. They may have been seen as something to be treasured and sought after, even by violent means. Although it is questionable, it is possible there was a shortage of females in the area. Then again, the taking of only females could simply be a sign of some sort of ritualistic behavior that is inherent in conflict. We certainly witness this sort of thing today. There have been many instances of conflict in modern times that have resulted in the same sort of behavior. Often women are raped and then murdered in such events, but the result does remain the same. It must be mentioned that, even in contemporary societies, the social status of heterosexual males can be determined by whom one marries or what females a male chooses to have intimate involvement with. The more desirable the female (in terms of appearance etc.), the more social status a heterosexual male possesses. Despite our supposed notions of equality, women are still seen as property to some extent.

As a final note, the research does seem to imply that women are the weaker sex. It implies that they can be taken at will and at a man's leisure. However, there are other interpretations that can be made of this archaeological site. For example, is it possible the women of the village were simply not present during the attack? We may find it unlikely the men had been left to offer care to the children in their absence, but it is not too far out on a limb to assume, just as easily, that this was the case. The women may have been gathering food or, perhaps, even hunting as their male counterparts were left to care for the young. The point here is that our own assumptions of gender, and the role it plays in social systems, continue to impact our perceptions of both the past and present. Males did dominate groups in many instances, but this should not be assumed.