> Good point. However, I suspect that those clashes are not as deadly
as
> they would be in the real world.
I'm in strong agreement here. Tribal warfare will contain strong elements of ritual and symbolism (champions clash, we shout insults for a couple of hours, take a few cuts, in extremis a death or two, then cross hands and go home to bring in the cows) and concious or unconscious restraints on wanton killing. Which is not to say things don't turn bloody and murderous at times... However my main reason for believing this is MONOGAMY - after thousands of years of such warfare (where 85% of participants are men) there is no evidence of polygyny - men taking more than one wife - which would exist if warfare routinely killed off more men than women. This is one of those arguments that can branch in all directions - women may die in childbirth frr instance, so let me just register it as an observation.
Or is this balanced by the non-producing women
> (Vinga, the various Gors, etc.)?
Vinga is many things - beloved goddess, aspect of Orlanth, and gateway for all women into the cults of the Wind Lord. Many vingans are leaders, lawspeakers.... and mothers. Restrictions on fertility only apply to one subcult of Vinga. More in ST.
John
Oh no you don't. Not that gag again. Wait until you get home.
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