Is there any indication in the documents that paleolithic peoples were more egalitarian than later peoples in wealth, status, power or gender?
Nisa's story is a very good example in describing paleolithic societies being more egalitarian than later societies. Nisa's story chronicles life before the use of luxury items and explains life to be more about surviving from a day to day perspective. She also tends to note that the women collected food and would ground them in mortar, while men would hunt for food as well. Women tended to have a more prominent role in the paleolithic societies because they were a major contribution to food as men were. Nisa also explains when a woman loses her husband. Marriage is a concept based on equality and in paleolithic societies, both parents are needed to help provide for their children's growth and survival. Also in Nisa's society if she did not receive anything from another person, she would not give anything to that person as well. The society was definitely about sharing and survival because it was a small group of people and everyone had a personal connection to one another. This personal connection revolved around trust and sharing food was one of the actions that initiated a bond in trust. And if someone did not share enough food, people would yell at that person to make them feel guilty about not thinking of the others. However, the people who did share would be happy with the other sharers and would not fight with them. Another indication that the paleolithic peoples were more egalitarian was that the society was family oriented. Children and parents would help in collecting food for their survival. It should also be noted that women and men were seen as such and there was not a person in a higher status than another.
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