New Insights into Stone Tools and Gender Roles in the Stone Age

At one of the largest burial sites from the Stone Age in Europe, a new use for stone tools has been discovered at the Zvejnieki site in northern Latvia. This discovery challenges the prevailing idea that stone tools were solely associated with men. Through extensive research, the study has shown that stone tools played a deeper role in funerary rituals, with tools found that were used to work on animal hides, and some were deliberately broken as part of the funerary practices.

Zvejnieki Site: More Than Just a Burial Ground

The Zvejnieki site is not just an ordinary cemetery; it is a testament to human civilization in the Stone Age. Used for over 5000 years, it contains more than 330 graves. Until now, the stone tools found in the burials were often considered practical, uninteresting items. However, the new research completely changes this perspective.

Under the leadership of Dr. Amy Little from the University of York, the team used a powerful microscope to study how the stone tools were made and used. The research revealed that these tools were not merely practical items but held symbolic significance in funerary rituals.

Challenging Gender Stereotypes in the Stone Age

Discoveries at Zvejnieki revealed that women were buried with stone tools as much as or more than men, altering the traditional view of women’s roles in the Stone Age. It was long believed that women played a domestic role during this period, but new evidence suggests they participated in significant rituals and activities.

These findings debunk the old “man the hunter” stereotype, which has been a prevalent theme in Stone Age studies. This stereotype sometimes influenced how children’s gender was classified in burials based on the presence of stone tools with them.

Stone Tools in Funerary Rituals

Many of the stone tools found had never been used before, indicating their symbolic importance in funerary rituals. Some tools were intentionally broken before being placed with the deceased, suggesting a shared ritual tradition across the eastern Baltic Sea region.

Dr. Little explained that the study highlights how much can be learned about the lives and deaths of the earliest European communities, and why even the simplest objects can provide insights into our shared past and how people responded to death.

Conclusion

Thanks to the research published in the journal PLOS One, in collaboration with the Universities of Belgrade, Helsinki, Latvia, and Tartu, scientists now have a deeper understanding of the role of stone tools in Stone Age funerary rituals. This study, funded by the Arts and Humanities Research Council, emphasizes the importance of reevaluating old assumptions about gender roles in ancient times and opens the door to further research to understand early human civilizations.