ABSTRACT
The archaeological evidence suggests that human beings have been intentionally fermenting fruits and grains for at least 12,000 years. However, because alcohol is a naturally occurring substance, it is highly probable that humans were drinking it well before that. But why and how would they have done so? How might our early ancestors have explained and understood drunkenness? How might the chemical effects of alcohol have influenced social interaction? What possible use could drinking have served for early huntergatherers? What spiritual and social meanings may have been attached to alcohol? What relevance does this all have to understanding contemporary drinking behavior? Building on Chapter 2 on the biology of intoxication, this chapter introduces an anthropological explanation of the phenomenon of drunkenness and concludes with two illustrative case studies on the tradition of “the round” and drinking among indigenous Australians.
