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The Neolithic Revolution is the transition from a hunter-gatherer mode of subsistence to one based more upon agriculture (the cultivation of crops), which first began in several centers dating from approximately 12,000a href="8th_millennium_BC_1c4b.html" title="8th millennium BC">10,000 years ago. This transition also saw a change from a largely nomadic lifestyle to a more settled, agrarianased one, with the onset of the domestication of plants and (later) animals. In the refinement of archaeological and historical dating systems, the Neolithic Revolution broadly defines the transition from the late Upper Palaeolithic to the succeeding Neolithic ages; this demarcation is particularly applied to cultures in the Old World, and less frequently to others. This transition is one of the most profound in the history of modern humans. Without agriculture, the emergence of many of the traits that part of what is popularly referred to as "civilization" were not possible (e.g. cities, advanced technology, social hierarchies, organized warfare, etc.). The documentation and interpretation of the natural and social changes associated with the origins of agriculture is one of the great success stories of archaeology (particularly environmental archaeology). The chronology, social foundations, plant genetics, plant morphology and selective mechanisms of humans, and the processes of the spread of agriculture have been documented by archaeologists in many parts of the world where agriculture first arose (e.g. the Fertile Crescent, Mesoamerica, South Asia, India, Southeast Asia). The term was first coined in the 1920s by the Australian archaeologist Vere Gordon Childe, to describe the first of a series of agricultural revolutions that have punctuated human history. It is described as a "revolution" not so much in the sense that its uptake or spread was rapid, but rather to denote the great significance and degree of change brought about to the communities in which these practices were gradually adopted and refined. During the 2nd Ice Age around 12,500 years ago as water became scarcer, hunter gatherers were forced to turn to alternative methods of obtaining food. Changes in the climate over time forced some people to work much harder and travel longer distances in search of food as the world became drier. Over thousands of years, hunter-gatherers unconsciously adjusted to their surroundings. Hunter-gatherers began to stay near reliable sources of water and bring wild seeds back to their base camp to plant nearby. Once agriculture started gaining momentum, humans were unknowingly altering the genetic make-up of certain cereal grasses (wheat and barley) that would favour greater caloric returns through larger seeds. Plants that possessed traits such as small seeds, or bitter taste would have been seen as undesirable. This process known as domestication allowed crops to adapt and eventually become larger and more useful to the human population. Once early farmers perfected their agricultural techniques, their crops would yield surpluses which needed storage. Hunter gatherers could not easily store anything as they were on the move constantly, whereas those with a sedentary dwelling could store their surplus grain. Eventually granaries were developed that allowed villages to store their seeds for longer periods of time. So with more food, the population flourished and communities could afford to have specialized workers. This idea led to more advancement in tools, ultimately making life easier for the community as a whole. Agriculture gave humans more control over their food supply, but required settled occupation of territory and encouraged larger social groups. A key factor in this change, Childe considered, was that global climates at the end of the last ice age were warmer and drier, making plants more efficient at producing crops but encouraging settlement near water sources. Paleoclimatology and the study of sub-fossil pollen demonstrated that climates had actually turned wetter, and the forces governing Childe's "Neolithic Revolution" were revised. These sedentary groups were able to reproduce at a faster rate due to the added convenience of raising children in such societies. The children accounted for a denser population, and introduced specialization by providing diverse forms of labour. The development of larger societies called for a means of governmental organization. Food surpluses made this possible by feeding chieftains as they focused on work, rather than producing sustenance. In addition, domesticated animals provided means of transportation and clothing. Believed to have occurred somewhere in southwest Asia around 8000 BC–7000 BC, the Neolithic Revolution has been called the single most important change in the history of humanity. Although archaeological evidence provides scant evidence as to which of the genders performed what task in Neolithic cultures, by comparison with historical and contemporary hunter-gatherer communities it is generally supposed that hunting was typically performed by the men, whereas women had a more significant role in the gathering. By extension, it may be theorised that women were largely responsible for the observations and initial activities which began the Neolithic Revolution, insofar as the gradual selection and refinement of edible plant species was concerned. The precise nature of these initial observations and (later) purposeful activities which would give rise to the changes in subsistence methods brought about by the Neolithic Revolution are not known; specific evidence is lacking. However, several reasonable speculations have been put forward; for example, it might be expected that the common practice of discarding food refuse in middens would result in the regrowth of plants from the discarded seeds in the (fertilizernriched) soils. In all likelyhood, there were a number of factors which contributed to the early onset of agriculture in Neolithic human societies. Living in one spot would have more easily permitted the accrual of personal possessions and an attachment to certain areas of land. From such a position, it is argued, prehistoric people were able to stockpile food to survive lean times and trade unwanted surpluses with others. Once trade and a secure food supply were established, populations could grow, and society would have diversified into food producers and artisans, who could afford to develop their trade by virtue of the free time they enjoyed because of a surplus of food. The artisans, in turn, were able to develop technology such as metal weapons. Such relative complexity would have required some form of social organisation to work efficiently and so it is likely that populations which had such organisation, perhaps such as that provided by religion were better prepared and more successful. In addition, the denser populations could form and support legions of professional soldiers. Also, during this time property ownership became increasingly important to all people. The agricultural revolution was partially inspired by the spreading of domesticated plants and animals and the growth of complex societies. The origin of plant and animal domestication was in China’s yellow river valley, and the fertile crescent, before it spread in Eurasia. Since Eurasia isn’t separated by major geographical boundaries, and there were open trade routes in that region, it was easy for agricultural methods to be adopted by neighbouring communities. The same latitudes of the Eurasian continent meant that plants wouldn’t have to evolve to cope with severe climate changes. This way, they had a more productive yield. Either the neighbouring hunter gathers adopted these new methods or they were displaced. The change over to the agrarian way of life lead to more developed technology, organized society, and increased populations which requires sedentary lifestyles to spread, therefore the indigenous hunter-gatherers either adapted to this new way of life or were killed off. Agriculture first arose in the Fertile Crescent because of many factors. The Merranean climate has a long, dry season with a short period of rain, which made it suitable for small plants with large seeds to grow, like wheat and barley. These were the most suitable for domestication because of the ease of harvest and storage and the wide availability. In addition, the domesticated plants had especially high protein content. The Fertile Crescent had a large area of varied geographical settings and altitudes. The variety given made agriculture more profitable for former hunter-gatherers. Other areas with a similar climate were less suitable for agriculture because of the lack of geographic variation within the region and availability of plants for domestication. Yet, the Revolution developed independently in different parts of the world, not just in the Fertile Crescent. On the African continent, three areas have been identified as independently developing agriculture: the Ethiopian highlands, the Nile River Valley and West Africa. When hunter-gathering began to be replaced by sedentary food production it became more profitable to keep animals close at hand. Therefore, it became necessary to bring animals permanently to their settlements. The animal’s size, temperament, diet, mating patterns, and life span were factors in the desire and success in domesticating animals. Animals that provided milk, such as cows and goats, offered a source of protein that was renewable and therefore quite valuable. The animal’s ability as a worker (for example ploughing or towing), as well as a food source, also had to be taken into account. Besides being a direct source of food, certain animals could provide leather, wool, hides, and fertilizer. Some of the earliest domesticated animals included sheep, goats, cows, and pigs. Out of the millions of species of animals only fourteen eventually became domesticated for agricultural purposes. Throughout the development of sedentary societies, disease spread even more rapidly than it had during time in which hunter-gatherer societies existed. The domestication of animals may explain the rise in deaths and sickness during the Neolithic Revolution from disease as diseases jumped from the animal to the human population. Some examples of diseases spread from animals to humans are influenza, smallpox, and measles. Surprisingly, the humans who first domesticated the wild animals quickly built up immunities to the diseases. Although the humans who built up immunities to the new diseases survived their sickness, others were not so fortunate. According to Jared Diamond civilizations which had not domesticated any wild animals nor been exposed to the diseases were not immune at all and the “epidemics resulted in which up to 99 percent of the…population was killed” (92). Ultimately, Childe argued that this growing social complexity, all rooted in the original decision to settle, led to a second Urban Revolution in which the first cities were built. Recently, Ian Hodder, who is directing the excavations at Çatalhöyük has suggested that the earliest settled communities, and the Neolithic revolution they represent, actually preceded the development of agriculture, He has been developing the ideas first expressed by Jacques Cauvin, the excavator of the Natufian settlement at Mureybet in northern Syria. Hodder believes that the Neolithic revolution was the result of a revolutionary change in the human psychology, a "revolution of symbols" which led to new beliefs about the world and shared community rituals embodied in corpulent female figurines and the methodical assembly of aurochs horns. Further reading
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