Civilization and war, to our dismay, do not form a pair of opposites. It is all the more interesting that secure evidence of lethal acts of violence against entire groups of people only appears relatively late, for example in Europe since the 6th millennium BC. The first weapon developed exclusively for warfare—the sword—did not even become widespread until the second millennium BC. But what has ignited the dynamics of war and increasingly intensified it, so that it seemingly inexorably shapes the course of human history up to the present day? Armin Eich has written a fascinating book about the early days of war. He expertly explains the relevant research findings of prehistoric scholars, describes the effects of improved weapon technology and strategy in the Bronze Age, and also looks at u.