Extreme polygamy was the norm in the ancient world

[Pb]

.  Male ancestry can be examined by looking at the Y chromosome, which exists only in men.  Female ancestry can be examined by looking at the DNA in the mitochondria of our cells, as we get these originally from our mom's egg cell.  Mitochondrial DNA has more variablity than the DNA in the Y chromosome. This indicates we all have more female ancestors than male ones.

Studying this, some scientists have estimated that some time after the origin of agriculture, polygamy was so extreme that for every man that reproduced 17 women reproduced successfully.  The scientists in the article seem to think this does not indicate a mass death of males.  I am not so sure.  This sure looks like warrior tribes rolling over people, killing all the men and raping all the women to me.  I think there is evidence of this happening several times in the ancient history of Europe. 

Interesting and disturbing reading.  This may explain some things about male and female behavior.

https://psmag.com/environment/17-to-1-reproductive-success

edited to correct errors

[zxcvbob]

You're close.   You can study male ancestry from the Y chromosome, and female ancestry from the mitochondrial DNA.

I think it points towards war rather than polygamy, but both were common.

[Northwoods]

Polygamy exists generally under 2 conditions.  A substantial deficit of men vs women necessitating polygamy in order for enough women to bear children.  The other is where there is a massive inequality of wealth allowing a small handful of men to accrue large numbers of women in a harem.  The second condition usually results in military adventurism to induce the first condition so that the excess males don’t overthrow the wealthy elites.

[MechAg94]

That is getting to what I was thinking.  To affect the overall genetics, it would have to be very widespread.  To me, that means external factors causing it, not just some sort of custom.  Either war or some serious survival challenges for men.

I have heard survivability of some men wasn't so good in the wilder parts of the old West.  Could be a combination of that and warfare. 

[Pb]

You're close.   You can study male ancestry from the Y chromosome, and female ancestry from the mitochondrial DNA.

Doh!  Right.  I will fix the post.

[Pb]

In the piece they dismiss the idea of a mass death of men.  I don't.

How can you have a society where only one out of seventeen men has access to a woman?  How could such a thing possibly persist?

[Northwoods]

In the piece they dismiss the idea of a mass death of men.  I don't.

How can you have a society where only one out of seventeen men has access to a woman?  How could such a thing possibly persist?

There’s a reason harem guards were invariably eunuchs.

You can’t sustain that kind of inequality in sexual access without either killing off (one way or another) or castrating 16 out of 17 boys/men.  Even if you heavily promoted prostitution and/or homosexuality the vast majority won’t be satisfied and will become … restive.  That’s not a good method for internal peace and prosperity.

[RoadKingLarry]

This may explain some things about male and female behavior.

 

No

 

[Bogie]

So, promise paradise with 72 virgins to the idiots who aren't in the leadership caste...

[RoadKingLarry]

So, promise paradise with 72 virgins to the idiots who aren't in the leadership caste...

Let them eat cake screw goats!

[Pb]

 

No

 

Hypergamy