**A Reflection on Prehistoric Violence: Beyond the Athenaeum of Peace**
Recent archaeological news, reflecting an often underplayed violent past, invites us to rethink our understanding of the transition from the Neolithic to the Bronze Age. As revealed by the analysis of bones found in a cave in Somerset, the cruel side of the human condition is emerging, revealing massacres that challenge the idea of a peaceful passage to a new era. This raises an intriguing question about how societies perceive and deal with violence throughout their history.
Traditionally, British archaeology has tended to gloss over these acts of barbarity, viewing prehistory as a time when conflict was either absent or marginal. Yet the accumulation of recent evidence suggests a much darker picture. The discovery of the physiognomy of mass graves, where entire groups, including women and children, were slaughtered in a deliberate act of violence, flies in the face of the orthodoxy that governs the historical narrative. This gap between perception and reality raises the question of the legacy of violence in our contemporary societies.
Let us examine a striking fact: archaeological discoveries linked to mass events of violence are not limited to Britain. They are found across the European continent, where sites such as Schletz in Austria or the Tollense Valley in Germany reveal that these brutal servitudes were the product of complex interactions between human groups. Recent advances in ancient genetics provide striking results, demonstrating how large-scale migratory flows could redefine social dynamics, sometimes with catastrophic consequences.
We must challenge the notion that heightened violence belongs only to dark ages in our history. Migratory movements, such as those of the Yamnaya, are not specific to prehistoric events, but resonate with current displacements. Modern migrant conflicts share similar attributes to these ancient eras, both in terms of brutality and human suffering. The parallel between these two eras opens up the possibility of a critical look at our own era, where violence against the “Other” remains omnipresent, whether on the battlefields of yesterday or in the cries of despair of today’s refugees.
Statistically, violence seems to be almost inherent in human nature, as research in sociology and psychology suggests. A study by psychologist Steven Pinker offers a paradoxical view: despite the horrors of history, violence has generally declined over the centuries in many societies. The question then becomes whether this trend is actually reflected in our understanding of history or whether, on the contrary, contemporary threats remind us that violence, in all its forms, is an irreducible constant of the human experience.
From a cultural and philosophical perspective, this questioning of our vision of violence could also initiate a dialogue on our relationship with the other and with the community. By comparing prehistoric societies, which were often perceived as violent for reasons of survival, to those of today, it becomes crucial to explore the measures we take at the societal level to defuse violence within our own communities. From archaeology to anthropology, and even modern sociology, there is an urgent need to investigate not only the nature of violence, but also the means to foster peaceful interactions and coexistence.
Finally, technological developments in archaeology, particularly with the advent of ancient genetics, offer a window into new interpretations of power structures and intergroup relations in the past. Such illumination could inspire a revolution in the way we approach questions of migration, chaos, and human resilience. In sum, as we explore the strata of the dark caverns of our history, perhaps we should seek the light of empathy, intercultural dialogue, and peace to illuminate the path to a better future.
Thus, in delving into the depths of our human past, it is vital not to stray into a monolithic narrative that exalts peace while ignoring brutality. It is in confronting these complex truths that lies our best chance of understanding our own humanity, and of constructing a discourse that refuses to justify violence, while aspiring to a more just and peaceful society.