Ritual: Primary mechanism of cooperation

• Ritual is widespread in the animal kingdom where cautious communication is required

• Deep evolutionary history

Primate social rituals

• As highly social creatures primates have a wealth of social rituals

Purposes of ritual:

• social signaling: Stotting among antelope; Thrice daily prayer among Orthodox Jews

• group cohesion: grooming in primates; initiation rites among traditional societies, modern social groups (fraternities); Coordinated actions produce greater with-in group cooperation.

• hazard avoidance: ritualized behaviors increase at social “stress” or transition points. Submission, appeasement, tolerance, reconciliation gestures among primates.

• Bell (1997, p. 160) If ritual had a voice it would say: “This is different, deliberate, and significant—pay attention!”

• It is the unparallel capacity to send and heed ritual’s message that sets humans apart from other animals

• Eventually for humans: Ritual imposes meaning on life, supersedes life itself (biology). Ex: Biology controls maturation but ritual defines adulthood. Biology controls birth, death, mating, illness, etc; but rituals imposes structure, meaning, legitimacy, etc. on all. Ritual is larger than life

Social rituals in traditional societies

• 3 types– Rituals of trust-building and reconciliation– Rituals of initiation– Shamanistic healing rituals– 3 points: models for the past; cognitively demanding; fitness

enhancing– Good analogy: graduation ceremony, ritual demands of larger

group vs. kin biased inclinations

Peacemaking and reconciliation

• Ammassalik drum match• Yanamamo truce ritual• Those more able to make peace

gained a fitness advantage through increased access to resources via reciprocal exchange alliances

Rituals of initiation• 70% of traditional societies have adolescent rites of initiation. Severity increases with the harshness

of living conditions• Those more able to endure demanding rituals gained a fitness advantage through status and prestige• Intense, high ordeal rituals lead to stronger emotional attachment to group; greater in-group

generosity

Shamanistic healing rituals

• Shamanism is ubiquitous among traditional societies

• Ritual healing practices involving ASC are effective for a range of maladies

Evolution of ritual

• Milestones:• 3mybp: birthing big-headed babies (from DeSilva, 2010)

Evolution of ritual

• Losing hair: 3mybp-1.2mybp• Host switch of body louse Pthirus from

gorilla to human (from Reed et al, 2007)• Mutation in gene melanocortin i

receptor (MCiR) • Making ‘dangerous’ handaxes: .5myp• Composite tools: .3mybp• Control of fire: 200,000• Trade, global migration: 70,000 ybp• Inter-group marriage• Increasing social differentiation –

emerging social norms

Red Ochre Rituals

• First appears in archaeological record 400-300ybp• Ubiquitous in female initiation rituals S. African

traditional societies • Female Cosmetics Coalition hypo – females

bonded together for resourcing of infants, first “true” rituals

• Encephalization: two steps, 700,000 and 200,000 ybp, Neanderthals later, 70,000ybp

• Second step critical for pair-bonding

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Migrations and Seasonality