Lecture 1 - Domestication

A collection of flashcards related to key terms and concepts from the lecture on the transition to agriculture and domestication.

Epi-palaeolithic/Mesolithic

The period from 12,000 to 9,000 BC characterized by the transition from hunting-gathering to food production.

Neolithic

The period marked by the advent of food production, agriculture, and animal husbandry.

Domestication

A process involving the active interference of humans in the life cycles of plants and animals, leading to mutual dependence and genetic modifications.

Oasis Hypothesis

An old hypothesis suggesting that agriculture began in oases during climatic changes.

Natufian Culture

A Mesolithic culture from 10,000 to 8000 BC, known for its specialized hunting and gathering settlements.

Jericho

An ancient settlement in Israel, associated with early agriculture and evidence of domesticated grains.

Abu Hureyra

A site dating back to 10,000 BC where evidence of wild and early domestic plants has been found.

Craft Specialization

The production of goods specifically for use by individuals or communities other than the producers.

Gendered Production

The division of labor based on gender, informed by socially constructed beliefs about masculinity and femininity.

Sedentary Agriculture

Agricultural practices leading to changes in local environment, population distribution, and social organization.

Epi-palaeolithic/Mesolithic

The period from 12,000 to 9,000 BC characterized by the transition from hunting-gathering to food production.

Neolithic

The period marked by the advent of food production, agriculture, and animal husbandry.

Domestication

A process involving the active interference of humans in the life cycles of plants and animals, leading to mutual dependence and genetic modifications.

Oasis Hypothesis

An old hypothesis suggesting that agriculture began in oases during climatic changes.

Natufian Culture

A Mesolithic culture from 10,000 to 8000 BC, known for its specialized hunting and gathering settlements.

Jericho

An ancient settlement in Israel, associated with early agriculture and evidence of domesticated grains.

Abu Hureyra

A site dating back to 10,000 BC where evidence of wild and early domestic plants has been found.

Craft Specialization

The production of goods specifically for use by individuals or communities other than the producers.

Gendered Production

The division of labor based on gender, informed by socially constructed beliefs about masculinity and femininity.

Sedentary Agriculture

Agricultural practices leading to changes in local environment, population distribution, and social organization.

What is the Agricultural Revolution?

The fundamental change in human history when humans began to cultivate crops and domesticate animals, leading to the development of farming.

Where did the earliest agricultural societies emerge?

The Fertile Crescent, an arc-shaped region in the Middle East known for its rich soil and abundant water resources.

What were some major impacts of early agriculture on human societies?

Increased population density, emergence of permanent settlements, development of social hierarchies, and new forms of craft specialization.