Last of 2018 2
Natufians
An example of a more permanent preagricultural settlement is the Natufian site located in Israel which was occupied from 12,500 to 9,500 BC. They are considered one of the most advanced people of their time in that they participated in broad-spectrum collection and sedentary (or semi-sedentary) life style. The Natufians dwelt in caves and rock shelters, and evidence suggests their villages were occupied almost three-quarters of the year. The tools found in the Natufian sites suggest they were grain collectors... there are sickle like implements with which they would have been able to harvest wild grains. They also hunted gazelles and wild animals. Grave sites and the types of burial practices suggest great social difference among the Natufians. The majority of Natufian burial sites have produced a mass of bone assemblages. The functional items found were tested, and evidence shows that a significant amount of them had been used for weaving and hide-working (Anna Belfer-Cohen, p.169). Most of the graves were orderly, multiple burials, although there have been a few that have been set out singularly. The placing of the bodies (with the head facing north, south, east, west etc) are varied, with no emphasis on the number of bodies placed in a grave. It seems apparent that in later in the Natufian culture, decorative burials went out of fashion. This is around the same time when a new burial custom emerged - the custom of removing the deceased's head and separate burial to that of the body. This practice, according to scholars, might indicate an element in an "ancestors' cult, denoting ownership and emotional ties to a locality, and implying the existence of defined territories" (Belfer-Cohen, p.171).
What techniques do archaelogists use to interpret the evidence found?
Archaeological evidence demonstrates, for us, that we went from hunting for wild foods to domestication. Stratified sites can actually demonstrate the progression from wild forms of grain to domesticated versions, for example, one hypothesis suggests that teosinte, a wild grass, was bred into maize over 8700 years ago.
Old vs New world
By about 14,000 years ago in the Old World and 10,000 years ago in the New World, some species had been domesticated. What do we know about when, where and how this domestication took place? Archaeological evidence demonstrates, for us, that we went from hunting for wild foods to domestication. Stratified sites can actually demonstrate the progression from wild forms of grain to domesticated versions, for example, one hypothesis suggests that teosinte, a wild grass, was bred into maize over 8700 years ago. The suppression of branching from the stalk of Teosinte resulted in a lower number of ears per plant but allows each ear to grow larger, the NSF said in a news release about the research. "The hard case around the kernel disappeared over time. Today, maize has just a few ears of corn growing on one unbranched stalk." Population pressures: in the Old World, there is a population growth prior to the domestication of agricultural products; in the New World, this population bump only occurs AFTER the agricultural revolution takes place.
Domestication
Common plants and animals found as evidence of early domestication in the Fertile Crescent and the NEw World
Mesoamerica
Dramatic changes to plant and animal communities. Extinction of many big game species (from mastodons to mammoths, giant sloths, horses) Hunting strategies shifted to broader range of game (deer, antelope, bison, small mammals) New plants spring up to exploit. About 8000 years ago, we see a pattern of seasonally movement between communities- microbands (2-5 residents) and macrobands (15-30 residents) Macroband camps tended to be located near seasonally abundant resources. Unlike the Natufians of the Middles East, there is no evidence of social differences among the Archaic peoples of Highland Mesoamerica.
Sedentarism/Nomadism
Epipaleolithic (12,000-10,000 BCE) Time period during which food production first developed in the Near East Sedentarism: Settled Life The increased utilization of stationary food sources such as wild grain may partly explain why some people in the Middle East began to lead more sedentary lives during the Epipaleolithic The term Epipaleolithic is, time wise (12000 BC- 10000 BC), the same as the Mesolithic, but we use this terminology in the Middle East where in Europe we would only refer to the Mesolithic. Yes and no. In some parts of the world, settlements do become more permanent. In other parts of the world, this pattern does not develop. Looking at permanent dwelling sites in the archaeological record, we can see that year-round access to food sources is found near permanent settlements, so it is not the broad-spectrum itself that is enough to make folks settle down. We do know that food production and sedentarism are linked Sedentarism is clearly a precondition of a large-scale organized settlement
What theories do we have about class stratification and what evidence is used to interpret vertical vs horizontal social organization in each case? (Burial practices)
Grave sites and the types of burial practices suggest great social difference among the Natufians. The majority of Natufian burial sites have produced a mass of bone assemblages. The functional items found were tested, and evidence shows that a significant amount of them had been used for weaving and hide-working (Anna Belfer-Cohen, p.169). Most of the graves were orderly, multiple burials, although there have been a few that have been set out singularly. The placing of the bodies (with the head facing north, south, east, west etc) are varied, with no emphasis on the number of bodies placed in a grave. It seems apparent that in later in the Natufian culture, decorative burials went out of fashion. This is around the same time when a new burial custom emerged - the custom of removing the deceased's head and separate burial to that of the body. This practice, according to scholars, might indicate an element in an "ancestors' cult, denoting ownership and emotional ties to a locality, and implying the existence of defined territories" (Belfer-Cohen, p.171).
How do archaelogists learn about domestication from the evidence recovered?
Initially, the tools we found in the archaeological record were from this era, but as we found earlier tools, we could not define the era simply by the tools. We then identified the domestication of plants and animals as specific to this era. Thus, the Neolithic Revolution refers to the shift in food production, not the sudden production of stone tools.
Population growth and sedentarism: The neolithic revolution when did this take place, why is it called neolithic , and what is it known for
Neolithic means "the new stone age" Archaeologists define the neolithic in terms of the domestication of plants and animals. The Neolithic Revolution Results in not just new subsistence strategies focused around domestication and farming, but also on dramatic cultural shifts often thought to be resulting from the shift in subsistence Initially, the tools we found in the archaeological record were from this era, but as we found earlier tools, we could not define the era simply by the tools. We then identified the domestication of plants and animals as specific to this era. Thus, the Neolithic Revolution refers to the shift in food production, not the sudden production of stone tools.
Ali Khosh vs MesoAMERICA
The Fertile Crescent is thought to be the cradle of early plant and animal domestication. This is land from Israel north through the Jordan Valley including southern Turkey and western Iran. What is domestication? When the crops cultivated and animals raised are modified from their wild varieties, we define this as domestication. Typically this is achieved through breeding programs. Compare wild and domesticate varieties of plants. Started out about 7500 B.C. living mostly on wild plants and animals Over next 2,000 years, agriculture and herding become increasingly important 5,500 B.C. development of irrigation and use of domesticated cattle This site, in southwestern Iran, contains interesting remains- a stratified site. At 7500 bc, there appears to be evidence that residents lived mostly off of wild plants and animals. Over the next 2000 year period, there is an increase in agriculture and herding. From 7500 -6750 BC we see the cutting of mud slabs to make multi-room structures. By 5500 bc, we see the emergence of two innovations: irrigation and the use of domesticated cattle. Elsewhere in the fertile crescent, we also see signs of the domestication of animals such as dogs (not for consumption) in an Israeli site as far back as: 15,000 years ago (for hunting, travel, etc). There is a lot of evidence of the people of Ali Khosh ate: cultivated emmer wheat, barley, and goat. We know the goats were domesticated because there are no wild goats in the area- mostly males were eating which seems to implicate selective slaughtering and preservation of the female goat for breeding. There are also tens of thousands of wild plants in evidence- so we know that the majority of food was collected from wild sources. From 6750-6000, there is an increase in consumption of cultivated food. The multiroom houses of this period are larger. Pop of about 100. Evidence of trading. 5500 BC signs of much larger populations, introduction of irrigation, plows that are drawn by domesticated cattle.
Broad spectrum collection: Why did it develop How was is it related to sedentarism?
The archaeological record demonstrates that preagricultural switch to broad-spectrum collection was fairly common through the world. As I stated earlier, climate change was likely one source of the issue. Fish and shellfish availability was probably on the rise. Land for herd animals depleted. Human activity could also have depleted big game (overkilling) Population growth may also have contributed to the shift. A rise in population among hunter-gatherer societies may have necessitated the need for new food sources. A decline in stature often indicates poorer health, and as height declined by as much as two inches in the shift to broad-spectrum collection, it seems that our preagricultural ancestors were in poorer health and had fewer nutritional resources.
The consequences of change in diet from shift to broad spectrum collection and domestication: -ill health (what is the evidence for this and why do archaeologists think this happened?
The first clear evidence of a change from foraging and hunting to food production takes place 8,000 years ago. 14,000 years ago, we see less of a dependence on big-game hunting and a shift to more stationary food sources like: Fish, Shellfish, Small game And wild plants This may account for a shift towards a more sedentary way of life for humans (domestication of humans, too!) We refer to this shift in subsistence efforts "broad-spectrum food-collecting" This simply means that the diet depends on a number of different sources and is less tied to a single type of food.
