Course Description
A survey of archaeological evidence for the transition from foraging to farming and herding throughout the world, its causes, and its consequences. Emphasis is on evidence obtained from archaeological studies of human, plant, and non-human animal remains from archaeological sites in Africa, Asia, Australia, Europe, North America, and South America.
Additional Requirements for Graduate Students:
In addition to five brief review papers, Graduate students are
expected to write a formal research paper and present their
paper to the class (approximately a twenty minute presentation).
The five review papers, the final paper, and the class
presentation combined will constitute 25 percent of their grade.
Undergraduates will only be expected to write the short review
papers.
Athena Title
FORAGING TO FARMING
Semester Course Offered
Offered spring
Grading System
A - F (Traditional)
Course Objectives
The objective of the course is to review biological evidence recovered from archaeological sites regarding the processes and consequences of the transition from foraging to farming and herding through time and space. Students will evaluate archaeological evidence for this transition derived primarily, but not exclusively, from zooarchaeology, archaeobotany, human biology, and other archaeological sciences. Students will compare and contrast the archaeological evidence for the ransition from foraging to farming and herding using data from Africa, Asia, Australia, Europe, North America, and South America. They will identify the general concepts and definitions related to this process; the archaeological evidence for domesticated plants and animals; archaeological and laboratory methods used to study plant and animal remains; cultural differences among foragers, farmers, and herders; and the environmental, biological, and cultural imperatives and outcomes related to the transition for the species involved, for humans, and for the environment. Students will demonstrate their knowledge in class discussion, in written assignments, and on exams. The course expands upon Environmental Archaeology (ANTH 4290) and Zooarchaeology (ANTH 4210).
Topical Outline
Week 1: General Concepts and Definitions From wild to feral: what does "domestic" mean? Intent versus accident Mutualism, commensalism, parasitism, symbiotic relationships Plant and animal "domestication" by non-humans Why domestication? Energetics Climate change Population pressure Unintended consequences Products of domestication: blood, milk, meat, security, wool, labor Week 2: The Taxonomy of Domestication Plant and animal taxonomy Characteristics of candidates for domestication What were they selecting for before genetics? Phenotype and genotype; recessive and dominant traits Centers of domestication Behavioral characteristics Specialists versus generalists Habitat preferences Tractability Harvest characteristics Week 3: What Constitutes Archaeological Evidence for Domestication? Site formation processes and field methods The techniques of archaeological sciences Direct and indirect evidence of domestication Morphological features Artifacts associated with domestication Centers of Diversity and Centers of Domestication Evidence and mechanisms for diffusion Week 4: What are Foragers, Farmers, and Herders? Foragers, Gatherers, and Collectors Farmers and Herders Horticulture (gardens) Agriculture (fields) Nomadism Pastoralism Week 5: Ecological, Biological, and Cultural Imperatives Human nutrition Nutritional requirements Procurement strategies Carrying capacity Seasonal periodicity Settlement patterns (from residential mobility to sedentism) Exchange systems (from reciprocity to trade) Technology Bad year economics Food processing and storage Week 6: Biological, Environmental, and Cultural Outcomes Human biology Health and Diseases: lactose tolerance, anemia, parasites, epidemic diseases Skeletal evidence for activity patterns, pathologies, and disease Demography Landscape alternation Deforestation and desertification Terracing; raised and sunken fields Irrigation Fish Ponds Social Organization Public works Social stratification Urbanization Week 7: Focus on the Fertile Crescent Overview and Case Study Week 8: Focus on Elsewhere in Mainland Asia Overview and Case Study Week 9: Focus on Pacific Asia, including Australia Overview and Case Study Week 10: Focus on Europe Overview and Case Study Week 11: Focus on Africa Overview and Case Study Week 12: Focus on Mesoamerica Overview and Case Study Week 13: Focus on South America Overview and Case Study Week 14: Focus on North America Overview and Case Study Week 15: Columbian Consequences and Biological Imperialism Overview and Case Study Week 16: The Process Continues Genetically engineered organisms Loss of genetic and organismal diversity Domestication of the landscape
Syllabus