Human Migration and the Neolithic Revolution

Emergence of Humans Homo sapiens emerged 250,000-200,000 years ago in East Africa Walked upright Used symbolic language Organized by tribes and clans Less than 50 people in a group

Ice Age (110,000-12,000 years ago)

Early Human Migration 45,000 BCE 30,000-15,000 BCE 70,000 BCE

Paleolithic Society Nomadic Hunter-gatherers Egalitarian society Gathering accounted for up to 70% of diet Egalitarian society Beginning of religious beliefs to understand how the world works Shamans conducted religious rituals

Chauvet Cave Art Discovered in 1994 Some of the oldest Paleolithic cave paintings, dating to 30,000BCE

Lascaux Cave Art Discovered by a group of French boys in 1940 in southern France Primarily depict local animals (bison, deer, ibex, horses, wolves, bears, etc) Created 15,000-9000BCE

Lascaux Cave Art

Altamira Cave Art Discovered in 1880 in northern Spain Created around 14,000BCE Caused debate among scholars, who did not believe Paleolithic humans were capable of such art

Gobekli Tepe

Gobekli Tepe Built 11,600 years ago in southeastern Turkey Temple and ceremonial center for semi-nomadic hunter-gatherers Columns depict animals No signs of long-term settlement

Causes of the Neolithic Revolution Last Ice Age ended 14,000-8,000 BCE Earth became warmer More diverse plants and animals emerged and flourished Extinction of large mammals Either from climate change or over- hunting by humans

Neolithic Revolution Agriculture: deliberate cultivation of plants and animals for consumption by humans Intensification: Getting more food from less land Domestication: altering the genetic traits of plants or animals through selective breeding to benefit humans

Fertile Crescent Earliest records of agriculture (9000-8000 BCE) Large concentration of plants and animals to be domesticated

Domestication of Plants Mesoamerica: genetically-engineered maize (corn) from teosinte Fertile Crescent: domestication of wheat

Tools Hoes and sickles developed to plant and harvest grains Pots Stone or clay to store food Metallurgy: working gold, copper, bronze into jewelry, tools, weapons

Spread of Agriculture Developed independently throughout the world over several thousand years Diffusion vs. Colonization/Migration

Worldwide Agriculture

Domestication of Animals Sheep, goats, cattle, horses, pigs, camels, reindeer Used their milk, meat, blood, and labor

Pastoralism Pastoralism: raising and herding livestock for human consumption Prominent in deserts, steppes, grass, and scrublands Central Asia, Arabian Peninsula, Sahara Desert, southeastern Africa Painting from a tomb-chapel of a scribe ca. 1350 BCE

Effects of Neolithic Revolution Surplus: leftovers for storage or trade Diversification of labor: less people need to find food which allowed people to have other jobs Patriarchy Population increased Urbanization: shift from nomadism to settlements Villages, eventually cities Skara Brae in Scotland

Catal Huyuk

Catal Huyuk Existed from 7500-5700BCE Population of 5,000-10,000

Mother Goddess Figurines Women were likely equal to, if not higher than, men Beginning signs of agriculture, though still relied on hunting