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A. Mesolithic 1. Began approximately 12,000 years ago 2.

Warmer, drier climate with disappearance of large herd animals such as mammoths and wooly rhinoceros. 3. Greater reliance on small game, wild plants, fishing 4. Stone tool technology changes: microliths, smoothly ground stone axes, harpoons 5. Natufians in Southwest Asia (Fertile Crescent) a. For example, the village of Jericho b. Hunters and gatherers, but settled into a village c. Storage pits for grains. 6. Transition for Nomadic Hunting and Gathering way of life to Settled Agricultural lifestyle.

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B. The Neolithic 1. The Neolithic means the new Stone Age. 2. However what's really important is the domestication of plants and animals and the development of sedentary communities. 3. This happened 10,500 years ago in Southwest Asia. 4. And 8000 years ago in southeast Asia, Mexico, Peru.

C. Characteristics of Plant domesticates. 1. Increase size of edible parts, e.g., wheat, corn. 2. Loss or reduction of husk, teosinte to corn. 3. The development of tough stems, e.g., wheat so seeds can be harvested easily

Teosintle; Maize Evolution

D. Major Cultigens (Plant Domesticates) 1. Southwest Asia: wheat, barley, flax, lentil, rye. 2. Southeast Asia: millet, rice, taro. 3. Africa: sorghum, yams. 4. Melanesia: yams 5. Mesoamerica: corn, beans, squash, cotton, chili, avocado, amaranth. 6. Highland South America: potato, quinoa 7. Tropical south America: manioc , peanuts

Taro Root for Sale

Sorghum

Quinoa

Manioc

E. Characteristics of Animal Domesticates 1. Reduction or loss of horns, female sheep. 2. Greater number of woolly follicles, sheep. 3. Reduction in the size of teeth, pigs F. Identification of domesticated animals in the archaeological record 1. higher percentage of remains of young and male animals. Why? a. Butchering of male sheep in Iraq. b. High newborn mortality due to diseases in corrals, llamas in Peru

G. Major Animal Domesticates 1. Southwest Asia: sheep, goats, cattle, dogs, camels, horses, ducks. 2. Southeast Asia: silk worm, pigs, water buffalo, ducks, geese, chickens. 3. South America: guinea pig, llama, alpaca. 4. Mexico: turkey, dog, honey bee. 5. Egypt: cat

Silk Worm

Alpaca (Lama pacos). Jarno Gonzalez Zarraonandia/Shutterstock.com

Xoloitzcuintli, Mexican hairless dog

H. Theories for the origins of domestication The oasis theory by V. Gordon Childe; 1950s. 1. A type of environmental determinism. 2. Southwest Asia became drier 12 to 15,000 years ago. 3. People congregated around oases. 4. People collected the seeds of wild grasses 5. This led to plant cultivation. 6. Cultivation of plants attracted wild cattle and sheep and goats. 7. This led to animal domestication. 8. Problem: Domestication did not occur first at oases

Population growth by Cohen. 1. Hunting, fishing and gathering were very productive 2. So productive that population grew. 3. More people needed more food 4. People in marginal areas decided to domesticate animals and plants to provide new food 5. Problems. a. Domestication is gradual and would not provide people with more food in the short term. b. Assumes domestication was intentional. However, people cannot predict which plants or animals could be domesticated.

Seasonal stress theory of plant domestication in SW Asia by McCorriston and Hole.


1.

The earliest plant domestication took place around the margins of evaporating lakes. For example, the Jordan River Valley.

2.

Beginning in the Mesolithic, the climate became warmer with seasonal droughts (these are seasonal stresses.)

3.

Annuals are best adapted to this environment,


a.

wild cereal and grains produce abundant seeds and survive for long periods of drought.

4. 5.

People collected wild plants, for example, wheat, barley, and rye. They used sickles, which meant that plants with tough stems and seeds that did not readily scatter were the most likely to be carried back to settlements.

6.

Some lost seeds germinated at disturbed sites such as latrines, garbage pits, and burned over areas.

7.

People began to promote growth of these annuals.

The hilly flanks theory of animal domestication by Hole.


1.

Wild sheep and goats were domesticated in the hilly flanks or the foothills of the Zargos Mountains in present day Iraq and Iran

2.

Wild sheep and goats migrated up and down mountains due to the seasonal availability of grasses.

3.

Sheep and goats grazed in the lowlands during the winter and in the high pastures in the summer.

4. 5. 6.

People follow these animals, and became very familiar with their behavior and habits By 11,000 years ago, the percentage of male lamb remains increased. This indicates the presence of herd management
a.

Females were spared for breeding and people were feasting on ram lambs.

7.

By 8000 years ago, domesticated sheep and goats were being kept at villages like Jericho.

I. Neolithic life; Jericho in the Jordan River Valley. 1. 10,350 years before present, Jericho was first settled by hunters and gatherers. 2. 8000 years before present, the farmers were raising animals, and cultivating plants. 3. Wheat, barley, sheep, goats. 4. 400 to 900 people 5. egalitarian, centralized cemetery 6. Massive stone walls to prevent flooding. 7. Mud brick houses with courtyards. 8. Storage rooms. 9. Stone Tower.

Stone Tower in Jericho

Foundation of Round House in Jericho

1. Obsidian turquoise and shells traded with other villages. 2. Tools. a. Polished stone, wood, bone, horn. b. Scythes, forks, hoes, plow c. mortar and pestle. d. Pottery

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J. Neolithic health. 1. There were waterborne diseases and gastrointestinal diseases due to poor sanitation. 2. Airborne diseases. 3. Carbohydrate related diseases. 4. Periodic epidemics and food shortages lead to malnutrition and stunted growth. 5. Harris lines in long bones, enamel hypoplasias 6. Zoonoses such as smallpox and chickenpox -- transmitted from domesticated animals. 7. Sickle cell anemia, malaria, and farming

Enamel Hypoplasia

Harris Lines

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