The Why of War and the How of Peace, Part II: Lessons from Prehistory ~ Douglas P. Fry

2026-06-21

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How old is war? Does it stretch deep into human origins, or did warfare become common only as growing populations settled down? In Part II of this conversation with Douglas P. Fry, we return to the long-running debate about the origins of war. Fry revisits his argument that aggression is ancient, but war is not. I put that claim to the test, raising some of the strongest objections from archaeology and the study of modern hunter-gatherers. We discuss Jebel Sahaba, nomadic and settled foragers, food storage, marine resources, ...

How old is war? Does it stretch deep into human origins, or did warfare become common only as growing populations settled down?

In Part II of this conversation with Douglas P. Fry, we return to the long-running debate about the origins of war.

Fry revisits his argument that aggression is ancient, but war is not. I put that claim to the test, raising some of the strongest objections from archaeology and the study of modern hunter-gatherers. We discuss Jebel Sahaba, nomadic and settled foragers, food storage, marine resources, population growth, and the archaeological sequences through which warfare seems to emerge in different parts of the world.

Is war an ancient adaptation—or a more recent cultural development? And is the answer relevant to our modern quest for a more peaceful world?

Enjoy!

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LINKS

Fry's 2026 book: ⁠Advanced Introduction to Conflict Resolution⁠

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Music credit: Aleksey Chistilin (Lexin_Music) via Pixabay.

NAMES MENTIONED

ETHNIC GROUPS AND HISTORICAL REGIONS