Origins and Impact of Food Production and Domestication

Domestication

Selective breeding for specific traits in species.

Natural Selection

Survival of species based on environmental pressures.

Artificial Selection

Humans choose desirable traits in species.

Skeletal Remains

Fossils used to study domesticated animals.

Archaeozoology

Study of animal remains in archaeological contexts.

Archaeobotany

Study of plant remains from archaeological sites.

Tough Rachis

Feature of domesticated plants allowing easier harvesting.

Brittle Glume

Characteristic of domesticated plants facilitating seed collection.

Tell

Mound of accumulated occupational debris from a site.

Fertile Crescent

Region in the Middle East known for early agriculture.

Ain Mallaha

Site with early evidence of plant and animal domestication.

Abu Hureyra

Significant site for understanding early farming practices.

Gobekli Tepe

Ceremonial site indicating social changes in early agriculture.

Three Sisters

Corn, beans, and squash planted together for mutual benefits.

Einkorn Wheat

Early wheat selectively bred for easier harvesting.

Bottle Gourd

First domesticated plant, around 10,000 years ago.

Dog Domestication

First domesticated animal, around 18,000 years ago.

Natufian Culture

Semi-sedentary lifestyle linked to early agriculture.

Communal Hunting

Evidence of group hunting practices in ancient societies.

Plant Morphology Changes

Alterations indicating domestication in species.

Infant Mortality Increase

Health issue linked to agricultural practices.

Nutritional Density Decrease

Agriculture often leads to less nutrient-rich food.

Oasis Theory

Agriculture arose near water sources due to climate change.

Natural Habitat Hypothesis

Farming developed in areas with abundant wild resources.

Edge Hypothesis

Agriculture emerged in marginal zones due to resource scarcity.

Population Pressure

Increased density necessitated agriculture for larger communities.

Social Hypothesis

Farming enabled social hierarchy and political control.

Non-shattering Rachis

Prevents seed loss, facilitating easier harvesting.

Catalhoyuk Changes

Shift to larger villages and diverse social structures.

Archaic Period

8000-1000 BC; mobile hunter-gatherer societies.

Floodplain Resources

Includes fish, aquatic plants, and water species.

Upland Forest Resources

Acorns, walnuts, and hunting near rivers.

Koster Site

Seasonal site reflecting resource priorities.

Woodland Period

1000 BC-AD 1000; sedentary riverine societies.

Burial Mounds

Associated with Woodland period and increased burial items.

Mississippian Period

800-1600 AD; large sites and earthworks.

Poverty Point Site

1600-1200 BC; significant for mounds and rituals.

Adena People

Early Woodland culture known for mound building.

Hopewell Tradition

299 BC-400 AD; elaborate burial mounds and trade.

Central Tombs

Burials for founding family members in mounds.

Non-local Materials

Used in grave goods, indicating trade networks.

Cahokia

Key site for understanding eastern Native American cultures.

Monk's Mound

Largest earthen structure in North America.

Terraces

Four platforms on Monk's Mound.

Mound 72

Burial site for over 270 individuals.

Human sacrifice evidence

Indications of ritualistic killings found.

Pilgrimage city

Religious gathering site for large populations.

Population estimate

10,000 to 20,000 residents around 1050 AD.

Agricultural community

Society focused on farming and resource management.

Single room houses

Typical dwelling size: 15 x 12 ft.

Wood post walls

Construction method using mats and thatched roofs.

Paramount chief

Main leader in the social hierarchy.

Achieved status

Social position earned through personal effort.

Ascribed status

Social position assigned at birth.

Chiefdom

Society with kinship and religious power legitimacy.

State

Hierarchically organized government with specialized roles.

Food surplus

Excess food production supporting larger populations.

Settlement patterns

Analysis of settlement designs and social status.

Mortuary analysis

Study of burial practices and treatment of bodies.

Prestige items

Objects indicating social status and wealth.

Defensive constructions

Structures built for protection against threats.

Occupational specialists

Individuals with specific skills in a society.

Monumental public works

Large-scale constructions for community use.

Trade networks

Systems facilitating exchange of goods and services.

Moundville

Smaller than Cahokia, with class divisions.

Cahokia

Major pre-Columbian Native American city.

Mound 72

Site of significant burials in Cahokia.

Center Burial

Includes a man and woman with artifacts.

Prestige Items

Valuable items indicating social status.

Copper Axes

Buried with few men, symbolizing high status.

Direct Procurement

Traveling to acquire goods directly.

Down-the-line Trade

Goods traded through multiple parties.

Olmec Culture

Civilization near Gulf Coast, Mexico.

Olmec Meaning

Translates to 'Rubber People'.

San Lorenzo

Olmec site, peak from 1200-900 BC.

La Venta

Olmec site with formal layout, 1000-400 BC.

Colossal Heads

Monuments believed to portray Olmec rulers.

Stelae

Upright monuments with pictographic storytelling.

Maya Heartland

Located in Yucatan Peninsula, Guatemala.

Early Mayan Writing

Glyphs used for record keeping, dated 200 BC.

Mayan Codices

Screen fold books preserving Mayan writing.

Bird Man Burial

Represents creation myths in Cahokia.

Hopewell Culture

Utilized direct procurement, no down-the-line trade.

Sedentary Villages

Settlements began around 14,000 years ago.

8000 BC

Start of farming experiments in Mesoamerica.

Mayan Iconography

Art depicting humans, animals, and abstract concepts.

Olmec Influence

Cultural impact on Mayan civilization from Olmec society.

Tikal

Capital city of the Ancient Maya civilization.

Stela 29

Earliest Long Count Date inscription, dated 292 AD.

Mayan Warfare

Insights into conflict and conquest through inscriptions.

Maize

Staple crop sustaining the Mayan population.

Maya Rulership

Governance rooted in religious beliefs and practices.

Decentralized Structure

Independent city-states rather than a single empire.

Classic Maya Features

Advanced writing, architecture, social structure, agriculture.

Mesoamerican Ballgame

Religious, agricultural, and political significance in Maya culture.

Hun Hunahpu and Vucub Hunapu

Mythological story linked to ballgame significance.

Ballgame Court

Playing area with tall walls and viewing sections.

Game Rules

Move ball through rings, no hands or feet allowed.

Losers' Fate

Uncertain if winners or losers faced sacrifice.

Ball Specifications

Rubber balls, 8-30 inches in diameter.