Archaeological evidence shatters the myth of men as hunters and women as gatherers

Analysis of mounting archaeological evidence from across human history and prehistory is challenging the widespread belief that men exclusively hunt and women exclusively gather.

Analysis of data from dozens of foraging societies around the world shows that women hunt in at least 79% of these societies, opposing long-held perceptions about gender roles in foraging societies.

Gender stereotypes have influenced previous archaeological studies, with, for instance, some researchers reluctant to interpret objects buried with women as hunting tools.

There is a call for reevaluation of such evidence and caution against misapplying the idea of men as hunters and women as gatherers in future research.