Ancient Humans Turned Monogamous Because They Were Getting So Many STIs (2024)

Ancient Humans Turned Monogamous Because They Were Getting So Many STIs (1)

(Photo: Jenn Peters/CC BY 2.0)

There came a time in your average ancient man’s life when he fell in love with a woman, and then he fell in love with another woman, and then he fell in love with another woman, and the maybe a fourth, fifth, and sixth, and then had sex with all of them for days, months, or years.

In other words, polygynywas pretty common thousands of years ago. But, scientists said recently, around 10,000 years ago, something changed. Ancient humans became moremonogamous. The theorized reason will be familiar to anyone who has sat through Sex Ed: sexually transmitted infections, or STIs.Chlamydia and gonorrhea, to be exact.

All of that hot ancient human sex was killing the population, since many STIs can cause infertility. Which means, theGuardian reports, monogamists came to beregarded as the superior beings, fining or ostracizing their sex-happy brothers and sisters. Interestingly, monogamy also became dominant around the same time that humans adopted another more-sustainable pursuit:agriculture as the major means of food production.

Ancient Humans Turned Monogamous Because They Were Getting So Many STIs (2024)

FAQs

Ancient Humans Turned Monogamous Because They Were Getting So Many STIs? ›

Ancient humans became more monogamous. The theorized reason will be familiar to anyone who has sat through Sex Ed: sexually transmitted infections, or STIs. Chlamydia and gonorrhea, to be exact. All of that hot ancient human sex was killing the population, since many STIs can cause infertility.

Why did humans evolve to be monogamous? ›

The female-spacing hypothesis posits that monogamy arises after females begin to establish larger territories to gain more access to limited food resources and, in the process, put more distance between one another. With females farther apart, males have a harder time finding and keeping multiple mates.

Were humans monogamous in ancient times? ›

Paleoanthropology and genetic studies offer two perspectives on when monogamy evolved in the human species: paleoanthropologists offer tentative evidence that monogamy may have started very early in human history whereas genetic studies suggest that monogamy might have increased much more recently, less than 10,000 to ...

Do you think humans were meant to be monogamous? ›

Our genetic makeup and basic instincts seem to point in the other direction. We are not born monogamous but it does not mean it is not possible.

Why is it hard for humans to be monogamous? ›

The bottom line is that monogamy is hard and we are not biologically built for it. Despite the human desire to be heard, seen and loved in a romantic lifetime partnership, our natural urges for sexual exploration are arguably stronger.

Are men biologically polygamous? ›

Polygamy is not the desire for more partners. Men are not naturally polygamous, neither is a woman. Everyone desires more. Interestingly, polygamy only does apply to the married — a bachelor(rette) or a person in a monogamous marriage can't be polygamous — if anything, you're promiscuous.

Does the Bible talk about monogamy? ›

New Testament. Three passages in the pastoral epistles (1 Timothy 3:2, 1 Timothy 3:12 and Titus 1:6) state that church leaders should be the "husband of one wife." This has been read by some Christian denominations as a prohibition of polygamy.

Are male humans naturally monogamous? ›

Balance of evidence indicates we are biologically inclined towards monogamy. Science has yet to definitively pronounce on whether humans are naturally monogamous (lifelong male-female breeding pair) or polygamous (single male breeding with more than one female).

Is monogamy healthy? ›

Health and well-being

By practicing sexual exclusivity with one partner, individuals reduce their risk of contracting sexually transmitted diseases. Research has linked the stability and emotional support provided by monogamous marriage with better physical and mental health.

Did cavemen have monogamy? ›

It is thought that our collective forebears shed their sexual spurs around 800,000 years ago, the Guardian reported. As a result, it is likely that these extinct peoples were predominantly monogamous just like us. So yes, they were faithful despite sleeping outside their species.

Is monogamy unrealistic? ›

The answer is simple: being monogamous is not as realistic as everyone thinks. This isn't to say that monogamy isn't possible, but rather that it isn't likely in a relationship meant to last a lifetime.

Why do people want monogamy? ›

For many couples, monogamy brings a feeling of security. Yet some people in monogamous relationships feel they need to sacrifice certain goals or aspects of their personalities. They may feel bored with their partner or have a hard time staying faithful. People in polyamorous relationships tend to have more freedom.

Is it wrong to not be monogamous? ›

Ethical non-monogamy is an excuse not to commit.

Just like you can be committed to multiple friendships, you can be committed to multiple romantic relationships as well — and there's nothing wrong with being single, whether you identify as monogamous or not.

Why was monogamy introduced? ›

Humans are now mostly monogamous, but this has been the norm for just the past 1,000 years. Scientists at University College London believe monogamy emerged so males could protect their infants from other males in ancestral groups who may kill them in order to mate with their mothers.

Why did humans start living together? ›

Social bonds helped ensure humans' survival. Sharing food, caring for infants, and building social networks helped our ancestors meet the daily challenges of their environments. Over time, early humans began to gather at hearths and shelters to eat and socialize.

Why do humans have concealed ovulation? ›

There is currently a lack of consensus as to why women's ovulation is concealed. Using an agent-based model, Krems et al. support a female rivalry hypothesis: concealed ovulation may have allowed women to avoid same-sex aggression.

What is the monogamy hypothesis? ›

Phylogenetic analyses strongly associate nonsocial ancestors of cooperatively-breeding or eusocial species with monogamy. Because monogamy creates high-relatedness family groups, kin selection has been concluded to drive the evolution of cooperative breeding (i.e., the monogamy hypothesis).

Top Articles
Latest Posts
Article information

Author: Merrill Bechtelar CPA

Last Updated:

Views: 5594

Rating: 5 / 5 (70 voted)

Reviews: 93% of readers found this page helpful

Author information

Name: Merrill Bechtelar CPA

Birthday: 1996-05-19

Address: Apt. 114 873 White Lodge, Libbyfurt, CA 93006

Phone: +5983010455207

Job: Legacy Representative

Hobby: Blacksmithing, Urban exploration, Sudoku, Slacklining, Creative writing, Community, Letterboxing

Introduction: My name is Merrill Bechtelar CPA, I am a clean, agreeable, glorious, magnificent, witty, enchanting, comfortable person who loves writing and wants to share my knowledge and understanding with you.