The Neolithic Revolution (?)

Transcription

1 The Neolithic Revolution (?)

2 Books to read Robert J. Wenke. Patterns in Prehistory: Humankind s First Three Million Years Charles Keith Maisels. The Emergence of Civilization: From Hunting and Gathering to Agriculture, Cities, and the State in the Near East The Cambridge Ancient History: Prolegomena and Prehistory

3 Origins of Agriculture humans as hunters and gatherers Until dominated by the environment constant movement the norm

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10 Two points extra on the first test for the person who can tell me within 3 years when this painting was made.

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12 Living area? tropical areas: one sq.. mile per person colder climates: sq. miles per person for 30 people: almost 1000 sq. miles life is nasty, brutish, and short

13 Radical Change the Neolithic Age (New Stone Age) radical change in the acquisition of food humans began to consciously produce food

14 Neolithic differences grinding stone tools more durable than flint or chert obtained food wholly or primarily by organized agriculture and/or animal husbandry rather than hunting and gathering

15 Polished stone

16 Most important change organized agriculture sedentary life-style based on farming a few simple crops for surplus

17 When and Where? Middle East about 10,000 B.C. near the end of the last ice age

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19 How did it happen? some single genius? accident? in human history: never underestimate stupidity and accident the genius is the one who figures out how to really screw up productively

20 What did humans know? empirically aware of the natural cycle of plants? plants come from seeds? they need water and sunlight? same time, same place, each year?

21 Why did it take so long? traditional explanation: no incentive hunter and gatherers maintain small populations infanticide, abortion, lactation taboos lacking stimulus for radical change?

22 Problems and Advantages food supply is at the mercy of the elements food supply is more varied and healthy food supply requires less work to acquire nomadic lifestyle avoids disease

23 Why the Shift? end of the Ice Age: climate and environment change? population growth

24 Alternative theories accident accident and stupidity accident and good luck

25 Other reasons for slow change? number of plants suitable for domestication 3,000 of 200,000 plants are suitable depending on climate and local only 30 (or so) are of major importance

26 Domestic plants? (sedentary agriculture) four grasses: wheat, maize, rice, sugar starches: potatoes, yam, manioc, banana legumes: lentils, peas. wetches, beans, peanuts, soybeans

27 Evolution of Wheat

28 Area for natural growth of wheat

29 Map of natural area for barley

30 Natural range of sheep

31 Natural Range of Cows

32 Transitional Period: Cult center at GobekliTepe in Turkey

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34 Sanctuary circles

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36 Domestic animals? (pastoralism) not many and how exactly do you domesticate them, anyway?

37 So why did people change? why leave a relatively casual hunting-andgathering life for the seven-days-a-week life of a farmer forced to do so by climatic change? forced to do so by gradual (over the centuries) population growth? accidental by-product of trade?

38 Advantages? support more people per sq. mile security

39 Change between 10,000 and 2,000 years ago most humans switched to organized agriculture in whole or in part

40 Origins of early spread of agriculture

41 Agriculture and Population Growth Population (millions) BCE 2000 BCE 1000 BCE 500 BCE

42 Location: early origins Asia Minor Palestine Iranian Plateau

43 Surplus Food and the Specialization of Labor Emergence of villages and towns Discoveries at Çatal Hüyük, Turkey, occupied BCE Tremendous range of manufactured products Pottery, Jewelry, Textiles, Copper tools Development of crafts

44 Catal Huyuk ca. 9,5000 B. C.

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47 Still Hunting..

48 Interior Sacred Space

49 House in Catal Huyuk

50 Catal Huyuk: Their view

51 The Boss?

52 Location: later, large-scale the Middle East China India Central America (eventually, but later still

53 Early methods slash-and-burn incipient agriculture in the Middle East: from 9,500 B.C. to about 7,500 B.C. longer in the Western hemisphere

54 Varieties of Agriculture Middle East: wheat, barley, the rye Africa: rice, millet Mediterranean: olive, barley, wheat, millet, grapes Iranian plateau and India: same as M. East China: rice

55 Varieties of Agriculture: con t N. America: beans, squash, maize C. America: beans, squash, maize, chili peppers, avocado, tomatoes, etc.. S. America: manioc, potatoes, sweet potatoes,

56 Areas of unfavorable climate stock raising pastoral nomads a variety of animals

57 Impact of Agriculture sedentary existence the Neolithic village

58 Jarmo, Northern Iran, 6000 B.C.

59 Abu Hureyra Northern Syria 9600 B.C. The mound Pit houses

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61 Neolithic house at Hassuna

62 Hansa bowl

63 Halaf Bowl

64 The Great Tower Jericho southern Palestine ca B.C.

65 Wall painting from Jericho

66 Low productivity gradual awareness of types of soil fertilizer crop rotation

67 Problems poor harvests disease (human waste and garbage) relationships with pastoral nomads accurate measurement of time shortage of suitable land

68 Life life expectancy: very low (lower?) birth rates: high (because of predictable food) higher standard of living (We have Stuff!!) pottery, extra clothing and possessions textiles: from natural fibers

69 Social Organization: Villages nuclear family: man, woman, children extended family: two or more married couples and their children clans: groups of families tribes: inhabitants of the villages of a given region

70 Extended Family more suitable for village economic life more hands to work more efficient at planting and harvest more intensive labor

71 Relations between men and women egalitarian Catal Huyuk: women enjoyed equal status in agriculture and crafts higher status in religion? art: mother, then daughter, then son, then finally, father

72 Religion fertility specifically: fertility of women both directly and as metaphor for the world fertility figures More complex, but still A method of explanation A technology of control

73 Female fertility figure Neolithic age

74 Female fertility figure Neolithic Age

75 Stonehenge, Salisbury Plain England clock, calender, landing pad for alien spacecraft?

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77 Crazy Horse: Shaman of the Oglala Lakota

78 Amazonian Shaman

79 Shaman: supreme shaman of Tuva People

80 Newgrange, Ireland neolithic tomb ca B.C.

81 A dolmen. Ireland

82 The Historical Period begins with the development of such communities