It can be difficult for most of us to imagine a world without modern conveniences like internet and light-bulbs, let alone more lofty ideas such as organized religion or activities like art. A world without these things seems primitive. In a way, I suppose it makes sense then that people often view civilizations before Greece, Rome, India and ancient Egypt as primitive, not to mention more masculine and brutish. 

More often than not, when parsing through the pages of older history books (both real and metaphorical), images of men are shown in leadership positions as the ones who made great discoveries that moved society forward. In regards to ancient cultures, the ones before Rome, Greece, India and Egypt, most people have been taught that the men went out hunting while the women stayed behind to pick berries and care for kids. Sure, there are occasional stories of women rulers, from Hatshepsut’s reign in ancient Egypt, Enheduanna as the first knoMore often than not, when parsing through the pages of older history books (both real and metaphorical), images of men are shown in leadership positions as the ones who made great discoveries that moved society forward. In regards to ancient cultures, the ones before Rome, Greece, India and Egypt, most people have been taught that the men went out hunting while the women stayed behind to pick berries and care for kids. Sure, there are occasional stories of women rulers, from Hatshepsut’s reign in ancient Egypt, Enheduanna as the first known author with attributed works or Wu Zetian’s rise to power in ancient China, but most scholars who’ve written history, and many who participated in archaeological digs have assumed that men were the rulers and warriors throughout history.

However, thanks to modern advancements in technology, as well as deeper understandings of the art and iconography from certain ancient cultures, archaeologists, anthropologists and other scholars are learning more about the out-sized role women played in these ancient times. As it turns out, women may well be responsible for pushing society forward during a transitional period of time from a hunter-gatherer to agrarian lifestyle.

However, thanks to modern advancements in technology, as well as deeper understandings of the art and iconography from certain ancient cultures, archaeologists, anthropologists and other scholars are learning more about the out-sized role women played in these ancient times. As it turns out, women may well be responsible for pushing society forward during a transitional period of time from a hunter-gatherer to agrarian lifestyle. 

To learn more about how women may have massively contributed to forming the building blocks of modern society, you’ll have to check out my story on Medium by clicking on the title, the image or at the link right here.