Life in Neolithic Communities
Life in Neolithic Communities
Researchers reexamine the assumption that food producers were better off than foragers
Modern studies show that food procedures work harder and longer than food gatherers
Evidence shows that even though farmers had more food than gatherers it was also less nutritious
Skeletal remains show that Neolithic farmers were shorter, more likely to early form contagious diseases than food gatherers
The benefit from food producers was the dependable supply of food that could be stored in various weather conditions like droughts
Over several millennia farmers outnumber non farmers and towns emerge
Rural Population and Settlement
Evidence claims that farmers displaced foragers by gradual infiltration not by rapid conquest
Key to farmers expansion was their storage of foods during droughts or other crises
Archaeologist Renfrew finds evidence for a steady nonviolent expansion of agricultural people moving 12-19 miles a generation which would repopulate Europe between 6500-3500 B.C.
Farming communities organized around kinship and marriage
Some scholars believe very ancient people trace descent through woman and may have been ruled by women
Cultural Expressions
Kinship systems influenced early agricultural people’s outlook on the world
Religion of food producers reflected their awareness of their relationship to nature
Religions of food gatherers centered around sacred groves, springs, and wild animals
Religions activities for many farmers centered on the Earth Mother (source of all new life) and other gods representing fire, rain, and wind
Religions placed different emphasis on the role of ancestors, the Sky God, and Earth Mother but most include all 3 in their religious practices
Worship of the sun is evident at the Stonehenge monolithic sit in England built in 2000 B.C.E
The Neolithic period contributed to the spread of the large language families that form the basis of most languages spoken today in the Neolithic period
Researchers reexamine the assumption that food producers were better off than foragers
Modern studies show that food procedures work harder and longer than food gatherers
Evidence shows that even though farmers had more food than gatherers it was also less nutritious
Skeletal remains show that Neolithic farmers were shorter, more likely to early form contagious diseases than food gatherers
The benefit from food producers was the dependable supply of food that could be stored in various weather conditions like droughts
Over several millennia farmers outnumber non farmers and towns emerge
Rural Population and Settlement
Evidence claims that farmers displaced foragers by gradual infiltration not by rapid conquest
Key to farmers expansion was their storage of foods during droughts or other crises
Archaeologist Renfrew finds evidence for a steady nonviolent expansion of agricultural people moving 12-19 miles a generation which would repopulate Europe between 6500-3500 B.C.
Farming communities organized around kinship and marriage
Some scholars believe very ancient people trace descent through woman and may have been ruled by women
Cultural Expressions
Kinship systems influenced early agricultural people’s outlook on the world
Religion of food producers reflected their awareness of their relationship to nature
Religions of food gatherers centered around sacred groves, springs, and wild animals
Religions activities for many farmers centered on the Earth Mother (source of all new life) and other gods representing fire, rain, and wind
Religions placed different emphasis on the role of ancestors, the Sky God, and Earth Mother but most include all 3 in their religious practices
Worship of the sun is evident at the Stonehenge monolithic sit in England built in 2000 B.C.E
The Neolithic period contributed to the spread of the large language families that form the basis of most languages spoken today in the Neolithic period