How War Began: Texas A&M University Anthropology Series

In How War Began, Keith F. Otterbein explores the origins of warfare, drawing on primate behavior, archaeological findings, and extensive research to propose two distinct beginnings: one among early human hunter-gatherers and another with the rise of complex states and agriculture. He presents evidence suggesting warfare was present among early Homo sapiens and peaked in big game hunting societies before fading and later reemerging with agricultural civilizations. The book offers a nuanced analysis of how political complexity and despotism have historically contributed to the development of warfare.