Anti-hunting statements declared by the individual
In the world of academia, the network Fem Arc is advocating for change, particularly in increasing the number of women in leadership positions at universities. This push for equality mirrors a similar movement in the field of archaeology, where the image of Neanderthals and the roles of women are being re-evaluated.
The study of Neanderthals has a history of focusing on men, with early research and reconstructions of prehistoric gender roles written by men of their time. This bias is evident in the fact that only approximately 600 Neanderthal skeletons are known, with most being attributed to male individuals due to the socialization of researchers in the 20th century.
The first Neanderthal find was actually a woman discovered in Gibraltar in 1848, but it was the discovery of a robust skeleton in the Neander Valley near Mettmann in 1856 that gained more attention. Naturalist Johann Carl Fuhlrott initially determined the find to be a "pre-flood human."
Archaeology is a science that often relies on objects, and early researchers assumed that robust bones and stone tools found with skeletons indicated a male Neanderthal who went hunting. If jewelry like an eagle's claw was found next to a skeleton, it was assumed to be a female Neanderthal. However, these assumptions are now being questioned.
New methods, such as paleogenetics and protein analyses, have been developed to reconstruct genders from Neanderthal remains. Protein chains are larger molecules, making fragments of them easier to find than DNA from the cell nucleus. These advancements are helping to challenge the traditional image of Neanderthals as hunters and women as caretakers.
It is now understood that everyone had to be capable of doing everything in Neanderthal society. Children also had to be shown how to gather, hunt smaller animals, make tools, and maintain fire. The robustness of a skeleton does not necessarily indicate a Neanderthal man; it could indicate a person who hunts, runs long distances, or throws spears, but this can vary regionally.
The special exhibition at the Neanderthal Museum in Mettmann, called "Stereotypes: Neanderthal Woman," aims to present less represented aspects of Neanderthal society. The curatorial team at the museum currently includes no women, which is a reflection of the historical underrepresentation of women in the study and representation of Neanderthals.
The image of Neanderthals as hunters and women as caretakers is being challenged, not just in the field of archaeology but also in academia. The network Fem Arc is advocating for changes in academia, particularly in increasing the number of women in leadership positions at universities. This push for equality mirrors the re-evaluation of Neanderthal gender roles and the efforts to challenge stereotypes in the field of archaeology.
