politics
Olga Soffer obituary
Professor of anthropology whose approach to archaeology centred on crafts executed by women 40,000 years ago
TL;DR
- Olga Soffer challenged the male-dominated view of prehistoric societies by focusing on women's contributions.
- She identified evidence of women creating textiles, baskets, and nets 40,000 years ago.
- Her research analyzed clay fragments with impressions of woven threads and female figurines suggesting dress and headgear.
- Soffer argued that mammoth bone structures were collected rather than exclusively from hunting.
- Her book 'The Invisible Sex' addressed the perceived male bias in the study of prehistory.
- She had a diverse career path, obtaining multiple degrees over decades while working in retail and fashion promotion.