Domestication: Part 2

Why is Ain Mallaha significant for understanding when people began cultivating plants?

were one of the first populations to live in village year round, relying heavily on the surrounding plants

Why is the site of Abu Hureyra so significant  to understanding the advent of farming?

Located in Syria, shows transition from foraging to farming, hunter-gather to cultivating plants

What was evidence was found at Abu Hureyra?

preserved plant remains and climate change

What was happening at Gobekli Tepe in Turkey?

The emergence of of most ancient farming communities in the world (communal buildings, indicating ritual behavior

When and where were corn, beans, and squash domesticated?

Corn: 9,000 YA, Beans: 8,000 YA, Squash: 10,000 YA, all in Mesoamerica. 

What is the meaning behind the name “The Three Sisters”?

Corn, beans, and squash thrive when planted together, supporting each other in a mutually beneficial way

What was the transition to plant cultivation in Fertile Crescent like?

quick, focusing mainly on wheat and barley

What was the transition to plant cultivation in Mesoamerica like?

gradual, corn, squash, and beans

Oasis Theory

 the climate became drier, people and animals moved to oasises, leading to increased interaction and eventual domestication of plants and animals.

Natural Habitat Hypothesis

the domestication of plants and animals likely began in the regions where their wild ancestors naturally lived

Edge Hypothesis

wild food resources were less abundant, forcing people to develop agriculture

Population Pressure

driven by increasing human populations and the need for more reliable food sources

Social Hypothesis

societal factors such as population pressures, resource management, and social organization lead to plant and animal domestication

What were some of the outcomes of the Neolithic Revolution?

increased food production, population growth, the development of permanent settlements, and the rise of specialized trades

Why is a non-shattering rachis so important for cereal crops?

eeasier harvesting, higher yields