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"Used for ceremonial purposes" is the default answer for absolutely everything that are found by or studied by archaeologists. In fact there was a tongue-in-che
by fred_is_fred 4y ago
"Used for ceremonial purposes" is the default answer for absolutely everything that are found by or studied by archaeologists. In fact there was a tongue-in-cheek book that showed a future archaeologist trying to explain what all our modern things were used for. Toilet brush - ceremonies. Toilet seat - worn around neck - during ceremonies. I wish I could remember the book name.
- i_am_proteus 4y agoMotel of the Mysteries by David Macaulay
- herman_toothrot 4y agoMotel of the Mysteries
- hinkley 4y agoOne of my favorite fringe theories on the birth of agriculture is that it was initially used for... ceremonies, and then grew to staple crops over time. In some very important ways, celebrations are a playful exercise in logistics. Some events are essentially celebrations of successful logistics - if you reduce Oktoberfest to its essence, you are drinking last year's beer as soon as next year's supply is guaranteed. Humans have a long history of conserving limited supplies of intoxicants for celebrations. Given how many of our early crops have a recipe for intoxication - wheat, barley, honey, apples, the notion that agriculture started for celebrations is not that gonzo.