Archeologists divide pre-historic human civilization into three periods – the stone age, the bronze age, and the iron age. The stone age is again divided into three periods – The Paleolithic Period, the Mesolithic Period, and the Neolithic Period. The duration of these periods varied in different geographical areas. In the Paleolithic and Mesolithic periods, humans were nomadic hunters and gatherers. They needed tools or weapons to kill animals for procuring meat and sometimes defend themselves against the attack of wild animals. According to Richard Holmes’ book ‘Weapon – A Visual History of Arms and Armor’ the weapons developed during this period were hand blades and axes made from hard rock.
During the Neolithic period, which began roughly 12,000 years ago, humans invented arrows and spearheads made from sharpened flint. It was a big development in weapons technology. Now they could kill or attack from a distance with reasonable accuracy.
Animals’ methods of defending themselves from humans were fleeing and hiding. They didn’t have the ability to innovate new mechanisms of defense. So, bows and arrows and spears were sufficient to hunt or fight animals. The development of newer weapons wasn’t necessary.
According to Australian archeologist Vere Gordon Childe, the Neolithic period brought a revolutionary change in human civilization. From the nomadic life of hunters and gatherers, they began to form permanent settlements. They domesticated plants like wheat and lentils and domesticated animals like sheep and pigs for food. This gave them more control over the environment.
Jean Guilaine and Jean Zammit observed in their book ‘Origins of War’ that the emergence of agricultural civilizations brought about accumulated wealth and surpluses that led to greed and competition.
People of one settlement might have been tempted to occupy the fertile land of another settlement or grab their livestock. Thus, humans started to fight in groups against their own species. Fighting against the same species is not uncommon in the animal world. But they fight with their natural weapons like horns and claws which do not change. In contrast, human intelligence enables them to develop newer weapons and tactics to kill their opponents.
The bronze and the iron ages saw the invention of the metallic dagger, sword, sharp spearhead, broad-bladed battle ax, etc. Then came the Middle Ages, and the new technology of gunpowder and firearms came into being. Meantime regular armies were developed and war became commonplace.
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This article was published in the Daily Sun on October 12, 2022. Please read the full article here or here.