A gift is an item or act given freely, without expectation of payment, often serving to strengthen social bonds and cohesion within communities. This practice is a fundamental human tradition, predating recorded history and documented across diverse cultures, from early hominins exchanging tools for alliances to ancient civilizations using them for diplomacy and devotion. Anthropologist Marcel Mauss, in his 1925 work "The Gift," notably argued that gifts in archaic societies created enduring social obligations through the act of giving, receiving, and reciprocating. Throughout history, gifts have played a crucial role; for instance, ancient Greece formalized guest-friendship through 'xenia,' Roman elites offered 'munera' (public gifts) for civic generosity, and in ancient China, Confucian 'li' guided formal exchanges symbolizing respect and hierarchy.