Study Shows Equal Physical Power in Hunter-Gatherers

A team of archaeologists from the University of Cambridge in the U.K., consisting of George Brill, Marta Mirazon-Lahr, and Mark Dyble, conducted a study examining over 900 research papers on hunter-gatherer societies. Their findings, published in the journal Proceedings of the Royal Society B: Biological Sciences, reveal that people in these societies participate in a wide range of physical activities.

Historically, much emphasis has been placed on male athletic abilities, while the physical strengths of women have often been overlooked. The researchers sought to determine whether female physical abilities have been similarly ignored in the context of hunter-gatherer societies.

To explore this, the team analyzed research on both past and present hunter-gatherer societies, specifically focusing on the physical activities and athletic skills of both men and women. The study found that, in general, gender did not significantly influence participation in these activities. Women engaged in activities like running, swimming, climbing trees, and diving for food, just as much as men. The only slight bias they discovered was against women climbing tall trees, though this was rare.

The researchers also pointed out that hunter-gatherer societies have historically placed great importance on physical fitness, likely due to its essential role in survival. Many societies included physical contests or incorporated physical challenges into rituals, such as courtship, which helped maintain high levels of fitness.

The study emphasizes that the human body is the product of millions of years of evolution, with modern humans adapting to upright walking and developing survival skills like running down prey, diving for food, and walking long distances to find food sources like berries and nuts.

One of the most notable aspects of human evolution is the versatility in movement. This adaptability has allowed humans to thrive in a wide range of environments, from grasslands to forests, deserts, and polar regions, making it possible for humans to survive almost anywhere on Earth.