Solving the Neolithic Paradox
Sometimes, it takes 'fresh blood' to bring completely new ideas to an old situation. Whilst doing academic, anthropological research into the potential effects that the Neolithic Revolution might have had on early human social structures and the gender-biased roles within that society, David deVire brought a totally new perspective to one particular and very important aspect of their lives.
He asked himself the question 'why, having worked so hard merely to survive - whilst taking their first steps into the new world of agriculture - did these very same people find the time, energy and motivation to build enormous stone artefacts, ones which appear to have been constructed for worshipping a deity? Why make such a gargantuan, communal, self-sacrifice; an investment which could take generations to complete?' And there was the disarming paradox; one that had erstwhile remained a conundrum and which our modern, scientific, logic had yet to explain.
Yet, ancient humans, it seems, had made the causal link which we have not. With no pre-conceived ideas or modern science to encumber their thought patterns, had their free-thinking determined an explanation for some god-driven, infinite, natural, connection between the whole of the earth itself and with humankind? Was that their 'Eureka' moment?
deVire's completely fresh perspective was reached having tried to imagine, in some detail, the new and developing relationship between these early humans and the earth beneath their feet; the very same soil which was directly giving life to their community.
His line of investigation was, in effect, a complete 'reverse engineering' of our modern, logical, scientific perspective. It's simplicity is compelling and totally beguiling; it is based on what he believes they saw in the soil and how, for them, it described a beneficial natural hierarchy, one which inextricably led them to their communing with the gods.
Please contact david.deVire@yahoo.com for a copy of his 600 word paper.:-
Of Men and Megaliths - A Grain of Truth