Archaeology and anthropology have concentrated mostly on humans' relationship with animals and birds. But humans' relationship with insects may have had a much greater effect on shaping our species.

I've written an article describing how prehistoric obese Venus figurines appear to have represented the bulbous "insect queen" that rules its populace and is extremely fertile. It includes the suggestion that the Venus of Lespugue resmbles a praying mantis. It also describes how Neolithic humans were studying bees as crop pollinators of plants to help them to master farming:

[members.tripod.com]

In response to the above information, "Archaeological Diggings" magazine has published an article describing how the ancient Egyptians were keen observers of insects. Insects of all sorts were a feature of Egyptian tomb art and jewellery, and even featured in medicine. Also, plague species like locusts were associated with Egyptian enemies. The praying mantis, however, is noted for its rare depiction - probably due to its camouflaged nature. It only appears in several texts, in a picture in the tomb of Hesi, and a linen-wrapped mantis was found in a tiny anthrapoid coffin (from Deir el madina, in 1929). But they do note that the opening of the mouth ceremony - when objects were raised to the deceased's mouth - and the characteristic raised hands worshipping posture may have been adopted from the praying mantis.

A significant amount of forward-looking science is also based on insect societies. British Telecom based its telecommunications network on the ant colony:

[www.businessweek.com]

while nanotechnology, robotics, and space exploration all involve modelling on the insect society. For example, NASA has a program called "autonomous nanotechnology swarms" or ANTS:

[www.nasa.gov]

[ants.gsfc.nasa.gov]


and some forms of technology are based on "biomimetics" - or organic simulation:

[www.worldwidewords.org]

So have we humans modelled ourselves too much on insects? Is this the reason for our social problems of class structure, overpopulation, and fighting en masse in wars? Why didn't prehistoric humans model themselves on other apes, who live in small family groups and have less destructive behaviours?