Lecture 4: Neolithic revolution

explain the Paleolithc era (lifestyle, resources, population, territory)

• hunter-gatherers: nomads

• relied on wild resources

• stable population

• large territory for a few people

explain the Neolithic era (lifestyle, resources, population, territory)

• domestication and horticulture (small gardens): sedentary

• production of resources

• demographic boom

• small areas for more people

→ production of surplus

what happens during the mesolithic? (3)

• increase in fishing

• semi-sedentarism

• first plants domestication, but still relied on wild resources

define “domestication”

process of adapting wild plants and animals for human use

why do we say that domestication can be both unconscious and controlled?

• unconscious: plants react in a certain way due to human activities

• controlled: selective breeding

what are the characteristics of gathering lifestyle? (3)

• dependent on wild resources

• understanding of seasonality, migration, ecosystems

• expeditions to gather resources

what are the characteristics of agricultural lifestyle? (3)

• control of resources

• selection of species for harvest and consumption

• plowing, sowing, irrigating, harvesting, storing

define “Natufian”

neolithic in the first crescent, where we had new ways of crafting efficient tools

true or false: humans all around the world domesticated plants at the same time

false: it was an independent process

what are the steps of neolithization? (4)

1. sedentarism

2. domestication of plants: cereals mostly, one millenia after step 1

3. domestication of animals: a few years after step 2

4. crafting of clay plots

why did we domesticate animals? (3)

• for their meat

• for their byproducts (milk, wool)

• for their power

true or false: the steps of neolithization always happen in that order

false: the phase vary from region to region

true or false: once we reach the Neolithic phase, there is no going back

false: some people went back to their hunter-gatherer lifestyle

what are the traditional explanations that explain why we suddenly become sedentary? (4)

• population pressure theory: too much people, the environment couldn’t produce enough resources

• climate change theory: some places become warmer and other colder. because of this, we tried to produce more resources

• oasis hypothesis: climate got warmer, so people settled close to water

• readiness hypothesis: there were fertile lands on hills ready for humans

explain the population pressure theory and why the theory doesn’t work

• population grew so much that the local environment didn’t have enough resources for everyone

• during that time, there was in fact a population boom

• but did the boom cause sedentarism or did sedentarism cause the boom?

• data shows that there was a lot of resources at that time, meaning that people domesticated plants and then the population grew

explain the climate change following glaciation period theory and why the theory doesn’t work

• there were some places that got warmer climates than usual, and other got colder climates

• this changed the patterns of migration and how plants grew

• megafauna (big animals) went extinct because of this, which forced people to hunt for smaller animals

• because of the change, people started to produce more resources

• weirdly, the first cultures who transitioned towards agriculture didn’t have harsh climates or massive changes

• domestication would create a stronger system, but we had other more important fluctuations before… why not change back then?

explain the oasis hypothesis and why the theory doesn’t work

• when the climate got dried, people moved close to water

• this forced people to become less nomad and rely on plants for survival

• but data shows that Mesopotamia had wetter climate, not warmer

explain the readiness hypothesis and why the theory doesn’t work

• the Hills of the Taurus were fertile and had plants and animals ready to be domesticated

• too simplistic: why were the conditions suddenly ready

what are the mental revolutions that explain why we suddenly become sedentary? (4)

• creation of complex tools for agriculture

• gathering resources = social prestige

• establish relationships with plants and animals (we love them, so we want to domesticate and care for them)

• development of new techniques for better resources exploitation

→ besides the first one, none of these hypotheses can be proven

how would creating more complex tools made humans settle down?

• the more complex the tool, the longer it takes to do it

• but that theory might not be true as we already had complex tools before sedentarism

true or false: the sedentary lifestyle is logical and a true progress from the normal life (it’s way better)

false: no, our ancestors also had knowledge and technology

fermented cereals produce alcohol. why would that be a good domestication reason? (3)

• altered state of awareness: allows you to connect with spirits

• better nutritional value

• safer way to drink water as fermentation kills bacteria

→ evidence is lacking though

what are the steps of the beer hypothesis process? (4)

1. wild cereals were rarely eaten

2. cereals were made into gruel or porridges

3. invention of brewing (someone forgot their porridge for a while and still ate it)

4. alcohol becomes important because of its social uses and nutritional advantages

what are the factors for neolithization? (3)

• adequate climate

• knowledge of technique and plants

• thinking process available

what’s so special about Dickson mounds?

it was a site occupied during Palaeolithic and Neolithic

we dug Dickson mounts and found remains. what were the conclusions found, how did humans change during the Neolithic? (6)

• more bone lesion

• increase in children nutritional deficiency

• loss of stature: people became smaller

• shorter life span

• increase in infant mortality (but not certain as maybe people disposed kids in other ways before)

• appearance of arthritis

→ people were in better health as hunter-gatherers

dental health: how did it change during Neolithic? (2)

• increase in cavities (not everywhere)

• tooth wear increase: to prepare food, we grind it between rocks and some small pieces were eaten

bones: how did it change during Neolithic? (3)

• more lesions on thinner bone

• nutritional deficiency

• infections

why were people more malnourished during Neolithic?

• because they relied on one or two types of plants, meaning that they will miss nutrients from other plants

• as hunter-gatherers, our diet was more diversified

true or false: the decline in health status happened everywhere

false: nearly everywhere

other than for nutritional reasons, why is it dangerous to depend on only one type of crop?

• more risk of crop failure

• the fewer types of crops you have, the more likely they are to get all destroyed at the same time… which will cause even more famine

• ex: potato famine in Ireland

why was there a decline in health status during Neolithic? (4)

• uneven food distribution (elite and poor)

• zoonose: disease transmitted from animal to humans as we now live with them

• garbage and human waste accumulate

• herd disease because the population is concentrated at the same place (person to person)

why do we say that living conditions during the Neolithic were worse? (5)

• more physically demanding work: you need to take care of your field everyday

• more famines

• droughts and floods

• new disease

• looting