Lecture on 'The Dawn of Everything' by David Graeber and David Wengrow

Key Points

• Undoing Simplistic Views of History: The lecture aims to present history with real people rather than comparing prehistoric humans to non-human primates.

• Questioning Received Wisdom: Challenges the conventional view that human history is linear, beginning agriculture around 12,000 years ago, which leads to cities, numbers, and civilization.

• Authors: David Wengrow (archaeologist at University College London) and the late David Graeber.

David Wengrow's Background

• Initial Career Goal: Wanted to be an actor, part of the National Youth Theater.
• Career Shift: Drifted into archaeology almost by accident, applied to Oxford for English literature, got accepted for archaeology and anthropology.

Conventional View Vs. Book's Argument

• Traditional Narrative: Agriculture began 12,000 years ago, leading to cities and civilization.
• Book's Argument: Advanced human culture and cities precede agriculture. The process is much more complex, with different social systems coexisting and influencing each other.

Human Societies and Connections

• Advanced Societies: Evidence shows early societies were highly connected and had complex social structures even as hunter-gatherers.
• Misconceptions about Scale: Contrary to the belief that human development is a linear progression, evidence shows early societies had large-scale interactions and trade networks.

Monumental Architecture and Astronomy

• Advanced Knowledge: Early human societies had sophisticated understanding of astronomy and topography, reflected in their monumental architecture (e.g., Stonehenge).
• Example: Stonehenge built during a period when British Isles populations adopted and then moved away from cereal farming.

Political Implications

• Conventional Political Theory: Traditional political theories (Locke, Rousseau, Hobbes) based on speculative history that agriculture leads to inequality and advanced society.
• Book's Stance: Early humans consciously designed their societies; historical narratives should also consider non-European influences.

Indigenous Influence on European Enlightenment

• Indigenous Critique: Exchanges with indigenous Americans influenced European Enlightenment thinkers.
• Example: Figure like Kandiaronk, a Wendat leader, significantly impacted European thought through documented debates and dialogues.

Archaeology and Social Choices

• Case Studies: Sites like Cahokia and Teotihuacan show evidence of social restructuring and abandonment of hierarchical civilizations for more egalitarian ones.
• Indigenous Responses to Colonization: Indigenous societies influenced European thoughts on democracy and social structures.

Broader Historical Scope

• Evolution of Human Societies: Emphasis on diverse social experiments and societal structures through history, rather than a linear progression.
• Prehistoric Societies and Current Thought: Early evidence challenges modern ideas about prehistory and societal development.

Popularity and Pseudo-Archeology

• Pseudo-Archaeology: Discussed the intrigue around pseudo-archaeology and its divergence from academic, evidence-based archaeology.
• Academic Responsibility: Emphasis on addressing historical misconceptions within the discipline.

Collaborative Projects

• Current Work: Wengrow's collaborations with groups like forensic architecture to further explore historical narratives and archaeological evidence.

Personal Reflection on David Graeber's Passing

• Impact: Reflects on the emotional and intellectual journey of completing and promoting the book without Graeber.

Conclusion

• Book's Goal: Aims to reshape our understanding of human prehistory by presenting complex, evidence-based narratives and challenging traditional views.