Both are true - half of all children dying before age 10 in some pre-modern societies, for example, really drives the average life expectancy down.
On the other hand, people who made it to adulthood did die much younger than we did on average - in places, as low as one’s 30s is the average; more often, 40s or 50s. Still comparatively young. You’ll not know your grandchildren for more than a handful of years.
These are still averages. Just because the average person dies in their 30s or 40s, you wouldn’t be called a wizard because you lived to 50 or higher. It wasn’t as common to get old as it is today but there were definitely people living into their 60s, 70s or even higher.
Both are true - half of all children dying before age 10 in some pre-modern societies, for example, really drives the average life expectancy down.
On the other hand, people who made it to adulthood did die much younger than we did on average - in places, as low as one’s 30s is the average; more often, 40s or 50s. Still comparatively young. You’ll not know your grandchildren for more than a handful of years.
These are still averages. Just because the average person dies in their 30s or 40s, you wouldn’t be called a wizard because you lived to 50 or higher. It wasn’t as common to get old as it is today but there were definitely people living into their 60s, 70s or even higher.