Notes on Time and Domestication

These flashcards summarize key terms and concepts related to the history of time measurement and the domestication of plants and animals, as discussed in the lecture.

BP

Before present, a time scale used in archaeology.

BC/BCE

Before Christ/Before the Common Era, terms used to denote years before year 1.

AD/CE

Anno Domini/Common Era, terms used to denote years after year 1.

Holocene

The current geological epoch, beginning around 11,700 years ago.

Neolithic Revolution

The transition from hunting and gathering to agriculture and domestication.

V. Gordon Childe

An archaeologist known for popularizing the concept of the Neolithic Revolution.

Domestication

The process of adapting wild plants and animals for human use.

Nikolai Vavilov

A Soviet botanist known for mapping genetic diversity in plants.

Paleoethnobotany

The study of ancient human-plant interactions.

Zooarchaeology

The study of animal remains from archaeological sites.

Macrobotanical remains

Larger plant remains, such as seeds and stalks, used in archaeological analysis.

Microbotanical remains

Small plant remains like pollen and starch granules analyzed in paleoethnobotany.

Rice domestication

The process of cultivating rice, a key development in agricultural history.

Agriculture

The intentional cultivation of crops and raising of animals for food.

Animal domestication

The adaptation of animals for human use, including livestock.

Sedentism

The practice of living permanently in one place, forming settlements.

Surplus economy

An economic system that produces more food than needed for immediate consumption.

Cultural watershed

A critical turning point in cultural development.

Neolithic diet

A diet based on cultivated crops and domesticated animals.

Demographic changes

Shifts in population size and structure over time.

Cultivation

The process of preparing land and growing crops.

Herding

The management and raising of livestock.

Genetic changes

Alterations in the genetic makeup of domesticated species compared to their wild ancestors.

Genotype

The genetic constitution of an organism.

Phenotype

The observable characteristics of an organism influenced by genotype.

Social competition

The competition for resources that can drive social change.

Artificial ecosystem

A man-made environment that supports selected species.

Environmental archaeology

The study of past human relationships with the environment.

Cereal domestication

The cultivation and breeding of cereal grains for food.

Plant manipulation

The practice of altering plant growth through human intervention.

Cultural adaptations

Changes in human behavior in response to environmental and social conditions.

Marginal environments

Areas with less favorable conditions for agriculture.

Pivotal changes

Significant transformations that affect the course of history.

Archaeobotany

A subfield of archaeology focused on plant remains.

Field systems

Planned arrangements of land used for agricultural cultivation.

Pottery

Ceramic vessels used for storage and cooking.

Flotation technique

A method used to recover botanical remains from sediment.

Wild vs Domestic

The distinction between naturally occurring species (wild) and those that have been cultivated or bred (domestic).

Mesoamerica

A historical region of Central America known for early agricultural development.

Co-evolution

The process by which two or more species influence each other's evolution.

Social variables

Factors related to society that can influence agricultural practices.

Early investigations

Initial research efforts focused on ancient agricultural origins.

Sociobiological model

Approach that integrates social behavior with biological evolution.