The origin of war: New 14C dates from ancient Mexico

  1. Kent V. Flannery and
  2. Joyce Marcus*
  1. Museum of Anthropology, University of Michigan, 1109 Geddes Avenue, Ann Arbor, MI 48109-1079

  1. Contributed by Kent V. Flannery, July 18, 2003

Abstract

New 14C dates from archaeological sites in Oaxaca, Mexico, support R. C. Kelly's observation that intervillage raiding may begin as soon as a region has segmentary societies. The oldest defensive palisade dates to 3260–3160 B.P. in conventional radiocarbon years, only a few centuries after village life was established. Over the next millennium raiding evolved into war, with residences and temples burned, captives killed, and populations moving to defensible hills. 14C dates are now available for the first use of hieroglyphic writing to record a captive's name, military victories leading to the consolidation of the Zapotec state, the first skull rack, and the building of a fortress in conquered territory.

Footnotes

  • ↵ * To whom correspondence should be addressed. E-mail: joymar{at}umich.edu.

  • Abbreviations: B.C., calendar years before Christ; b.c., conventional radiocarbon years before the Christian era; ha, hectare.

  • See commentary on page 11185.

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  1. Published online before print September 18, 2003, doi: 10.1073/pnas.1934526100 PNAS September 30, 2003 vol. 100 no. 20 11801-11805
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