Agriculture Flashcards by Nadea Leen Yee

What time period was the Younger Dryas set in?

a) 22,000-19,000 BP
b) 15,000-13,000 BP
c) 10,900-9600 BP
d) 7000-6500 BP

c) 10,900-9600 BP

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Which of the following is not a change at the end of the Pleistocene?

a) Warmer temperatures
b) Retreat of ice sheets
c) Dryer conditions
d) Extinction of mega fauna and new environmental zones

c) Dryer conditions

There were wetter conditions in the period following the Pleistocene

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When did the Epipalaeolithic start?

23,000 BC

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This archaeological site demonstrates a diversification away from the European Palaeolithic in terms of hunting strategy and lithic use.

Kebara Cave

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What kinds of wild plants were found in Dederiyeh Cave? (3) - these plants are associated with Natufian Culture.

pistachio, almond, wild wheat

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What kinds of wild plants were found in Abu Hureyra? (3) - these plants are associated with Natufian culture.

Emmer, einkorn wheat, and rye

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This archaeological site provides the earliest evidence for a Shaman burial (approx. 12,000 years old). Features a disabled women buried with a wing of a golden eagle, pelvis of a leopard, and severed foot of a human being.

Hilazon, Tachtit

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Which of the following statements are not correct?

a) The Natufians hunted and gathered in accordance with the environment around them.
b) The Natufians were incipient agriculturalists who cultivated wild plants but had no domesticates yet.
c) The Natufians used stone tools, particularly sickles and harif points and arrow heads (specialised hunting tools) for subsistence.
d) The Natufians hunted and gathered big game, such as mammoths in the environment.

Natufians belong in the late Epipalaeolithic period - which means this is a time period where small game is more predominantly found in the environment.

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This is the first open Natufian site excavated by archaeologists; it housed approximately 200-300 people (50 houses) and is located on a hillside above a spring.

Ain Mallaha

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Which of the following are not findings from Ain Mallaha?

a) rectangular huts
b) houses had hearths and storage bins
c) houses had built in mortar/pestle
d) burials

a) rectangular huts

Residents of Ain Mallaha had circular kind of huts/settlements

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Which of the following is not an evidence for smi-sedentism in Natufian culture?

a) Fauna and flora evidence showed about a 10 month long occupation + presence of commensal animals
b) There were less raw material waste because the Natufians had less access to raw material; they were more conservative
c) Rebuilding evidence was present.
d) There were no formal cemeteries at this point in time.

Formal cemeteries were markers of link to a specific location; they also symbolised territory

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True or false. In agriculture, the domestic species are physically and genetically isolated from the wild species.

True

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What four sets of activities does food production involve?

Propagation, Husbandry, Harvesting, Storage

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This is the process whereby plants and animals become part of human food production systems. It is the creation of the artificial ecosystems that support agriculture.

Domestication

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Which is not something domestic plants and animals go through when physically/genetically isolated?

a) Morphological changes
b) Genetic changes
c) They still produce wild-type species
d) Produce more yield

c) They still produce wild-type species

This is false because domesticated species undergo genetic changes which then pass onto their offspring.

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This highlights the primary role of the Fertile Crescent and was the first important theory to explain domestication.

Essentially, domestication has multiple origins and occurred simultaneously across these geographical locations - particularly in the natural habitat of pre-domesticates.

The Diffusion Hypothesis

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Corn is the main grain which originates from?

a) Near East
b) North China
c) Southeast Asia
d) Mesoamerica

d) Mesoamerica

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What is the only domesticate from New Guinea?

Taro

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What are 2 roots that originated from Southeast Asia?

Yam and Taro

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Wheat, barley and oats are grains which originate from?

a) Near East
b) North China
c) Southeast Asia
d) Mesoamerica

a) Near East

Remember sites like Kebara and Natufian culture

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Millet and rice are grains which originate from?

a) Near East
b) North China
c) Southeast Asia
d) Mesoamerica

b) and c)

Both North China and Southeast Asia

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What are 2 roots that originated from Mesoamerica?

Manioc and sweet potato

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Breadfruit, banana, mango, and coconut originate from?

a) Near East
b) North China
c) Southeast Asia
d) Mesoamerica

c) Southeast Asia

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Soybean, apricot and cabbage originate from?

a) Near East
b) North China
c) Southeast Asia
d) Mesoamerica

b) North China

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Which of the following vegetables/fruit did not originate from North China? a) apricot b) cabbage c) soybean d) mango

d) mango (from Southeast Asia)

Which of the following vegetables/fruit did not originate from Southeast Asia? a) coconut b) mango c) cabbage d) banana

c) cabbage (North China)

Goat, sheep and cattle were common domesticates of which geographical area? a) Near East b) North China c) Southeast Asia d) Mesoamerica

a) Near East

Turkey was a common domesticate of which geographical area? a) Near East b) North China c) Southeast Asia d) Mesoamerica

d) Mesoamerica

Agriculture appears around what time period?

10,000 BP (occurs just after/end of Younger Dryas)

What is a key characteristic of farming communities?

Sedentism

Which of the following are not implications of sedentism? a) Communities are normally mobile - they move on a seasonal basis b) Puts less strain on vulnerable members of society c) Allows communities to invest more in territory and dwelling structures d) Allows greater investment in technology

a) Agricultural Communities are not mobile in sedentary communities; they stay in one place and harvest food from immediate vicinity.

True or false. When animals are domesticated, they become less docile and their body size increases.

False. Domesticated animals become more manageable => which means they are more docile and their body size decreases.

This theory of agriculture states that humans, plants and animals started to gather around small fertile zones known as oases - where humans got to acquire a greater understanding of plant and animal lifestyle, which enabled them to exercise control over plant and animal stock.

Oasis theory by Gordon Childe

This theory of agriculture states that the first signs of domestication starts in places where the pre-domesticates lived in and regions with sufficient rainfall that enabled crops to grow without irrigation.

Hilly Flanks Hypothesis by Robert Braidwood

Which two archaeological locations were used to support Hilly Flanks Hypothesis by Robert Braidwood?

Jarmo and Cayonu | Around the Taurus/Zagroc Mountains

This theory of agriculture states that population growth and demographic pressure forced humans to move into marginal zones, where they had to modify their environments and introduce pre-domestic plants and animals. This resulted in genetic changes in plants and animals which resulted in the emergence of agriculture.

Marginal Zone Theory by Lewis Binford

The domestication of plants involves what two processes?

1) Genetic and structural changes in plants 2) Behavioural changes in humans

This involves plants evolving to take advantage of human modified environments and humans tending to select plants that were most useful to them. Essentially, the co-dependence of plants and humans to each other.

Coevolution

What does dehiscent and indehiscent mean in terms of wild/domestic cereals?

- dehiscent means the stalk of plant is very soft and brittle which means the seeds drop easily into the ground as they mature (wild-tyoe cereals) - indehiscent means the plant holds on to their seeds and only releases them when they are harvested (domesticated cereals)

This describes the move from gathering good from the natural environment to producing food in modified or artificial environments.

Neolithic Revolution

Which of the following is not a characteristic of hunting & gathering settlements? a) mobility b) permanent structures c) little long-term investment in place d) often moved on a seasonal basis and resource availability

b) permanent structures - Hunter and gathering settlements formed temporary structures because they moved alot.

Which of the following is not a consequence of sedentism? a) allows greater investment in technology (artefacts and treasure) b) puts less strain on vulnerable members of society c) gives more time and resources to pursue complex social practices d) mobility is still practised as a frequent method of subsistence

True or false. Sedentary populations were dense populations.

True.

True or false. The Neolithic did not have pottery.

False. Sedentism was a main aspect of the Neolithic - which involved farming villages and the emergence of agriculture, which subsequently involves the use of pottery as well.

Which of the following is a way of archaeologists recognising agriculture? a) personal ornaments b) mammoth bones c) how densely populated houses were d) changes in weather

a) personal ornaments - But they also checked for pottery, grinding stone tools, ground stone tools and neolithic tool types (like digging stick), landscape changes and faunal remains

What are the 2 types of direct evidence that archaeologists use to recognise agriculture?

1) Intact agricultural systems 2) Presence of domestic animals in archaeological sites

First recorded use of copper was found in which farming village? a) Khirokitia b) Cayonu c) Jarmo d) Catal Huyuk

b) Cayonu

Which of the following is not a finding/artefact from Khirokitia? a) Stone bowls b) food preparation tools c) copper d) hunting and fishing tools

c) copper - This was found in Cayonu

This is the earliest farming village in Cyprus.

Khirokitia

The emergence of inequality and structures of power and control usually emerge in what stage of Redman's stages of socio-political organisation?

Stage 3 - in early farming villages

What was the life span of male and female in Catal Hoyuk communities? a) 35 male, 27 female b) 34 male, 29 female c) 32 male, 27 female d) 32 male, 29 female

b) 34 male, 29 female

Which of the following is not a characteristic of family life in Catal huyuk? a) gender defined roles and status b) family size was about 8 c) high level of household autonomy d) gender was not a big deal

d) gender was quite significant in terms of roles and status in the house/community

Town planning and prominence of shrine rooms were observed in which early farming village? a) Khirokitia b) Cayonu c) Jarmo d) Catal Huyuk

d) Catal Huyuk

In stage 2 of Charles Redman's socio-political organisation, what is considered as the basic unit of society?

Family

Sociopolitical inequality is associated most with which stage of Charles Redman's socio-political organisation of society?

Stage 2

Which of the following is not a characteristic of Stage 2 socio-political organisation during the Neolithic? a) sociopolitical inequality b) lots of large scale warfare and political expansion c) expansion of trade d) villages were autonomous

b) lots of large scale warfare and political expansion - there were less large scale warfare/political expansion

What are the 3 models of culture change in Europe (in terms of the farming communities)?

1) Diffusion and Migration (farming people from Near East migrated to Europe) 2) Independent Innovation (peoples of Europe started domesticating their own plants and animals) 3) Borrowing (European hunter-gatherers borrowed ideas and domesticated plants/animals from farming communities)

This is one of the world's early plant domesticates, and was domesticated in Europe around 7,000 BP.

Opium poppy

This is a Mesolithic hunting and fishing settlement that is contemporary with Neolithic communities, and is found in the Danube Valley. a) Nea Nikomedia b) Lepenski Vir c) Balkan Peninsula d) Crete

b) Lepenski Vir

Why were the farming communities near the edge of the Black Sea displaced? Remember: the Black Sea used to be a lake.

Because the Black Sea turned from a lake to a salt-water body around 8500 BP.

True or false. The distribution of pottery marks the expansion of agriculture.

True - evidence provided by Linear Pottery Culture area.

The Linear Pottery Culture Area originated where? a) Anatolia b) Mediterranean c) Hungarian Plains d) Iberian Peninsula

c) Hungarian Plains (Danube Valley)

Which of the following statements are not true? a) Some types of adze are strictly tools for working wood, clearing scrub and working soils b) In Linear Pottery Culture, adze were also used as weapons c) The Linear Pottery Culture Area originated on Anatolia d) The Linear Pottery Culture Area often had longhouses in forest clearings on river terraces.

c) Linear Pottery Culture originated on Hungarian Plains

This is known as the first widespread culture area of the European Neolithic. It characterises the distribution of pottery and the expansion of agriculture throughout different parts of Europe.

Linear Pottery Culture

Which animal domesticate was most common in Europe during the Linear Pottery Culture? a) cattle b) sheep c) goats d) dogs

a) cattle

This archaeological site provided strong evidence of violence in early Neolithic life in Europe.

Talheim Death Pits in Germany

Which of these sites is not evidence showing the megaliths of Europe? a) Newgrange, Ireland b) Avebury c) Bath d) Stonehenge

c) Bath - Newgrange = Passage grave - Stonehenge and Avebury = cremation cemetery - Long barrows = group burials with lots of rock cave art - tombs were for more than just burying the dead Megaliths of Europe date from around 6000 BP.

Which of the following is not a characteristic of Neolithic society? a) Complex ceremonial and ritual lifeways b) Centralisation of power, hierarchy and controlling labour c) Agriculture was isolated in one region d) Widespread political and economic control and standardisation

c) Agriculture was expanding rapidly and quite successfully throughout Europe. As seen with the Linear Pottery Culture. - Remember: widespread distribution of pottery means a successful expansion of agriculture.

What stage of Redman's socio-political organisation does the emergence of social institutions take place?

Stage 4: Advanced farming villages

What are the 2 processes that allow civilisations to form?

Fragmentation (groups of people with varying interests) and integration (cultural aspect of the people - which includes regulations, religious sanctions and ideological systems)

This forms when systems develop to integrate competing interest groups into a single coherent society - followed by a process of reorganisation to formalise a central administration.

Civilisation/State

What are the 4 integrating elements of civilisations?

- economic dependencies - regulations - religious sanctions and demands - ideological systems

What are the 5 primary characteristics of civilisations?

- cities - full time specialisation - concentration of surplus - class structured society - state organisation

Which of the following is not a characteristic of cities? a) Large dense population structure b) Lack of central services c) Complexity and interdependence d) A mix of formal and impersonal organisation

b) Lack of central services - There is a diversity of central services that come with cities

These are central places that serve surrounding towns/villages.

Cities

Which of the following is not a secondary characteristic of civilisations? a) Ground stone tools b) Monumental public works c) Arithmetic, geometry, science d) Writing

a) Ground stone tools Remember: Secondary characteristics are the archaeological characteristics we would see on the ground - or like when we take a walk around the city.

True or false. Art objects, pottery, metal tools and textiles usually went into the city, whereas stone, metals, foodstuffs and pottery went out of the city. (in terms of long-distance trade)

False. It's the other way around. More inaccessible materials, particularly imported foods and specific stones and metals came from outside the city via long distance trade. Whereas materials that have been crafted from these base materials like art objects and textiles and metal tools go out of the city to be traded.

This hypothesis states that irrigation can be accumulated in bulk. Infrastructure and technology develops to construct and manage water use - and the elite class usually controls water supply.

Hydraulic Hypothesis

This hypothesis involves mobile specialists starting to migrate to emerging towns. Towns are able to attract more trade, wealth and surplus as a result accumulates in these towns. Emergence of elite power because of this also takes place.

Craft specialisation Hypothesis

This involves the expansion of agriculture and conquest of other regions to secure new land. Class structured society emerges.

Population pressure and conflict

This was an early farming village in Anatolia, which had houses with a standardised design.

Catal Hoyuk

This was an early farming village in Cyprus with circular houses.

Khirokitia

Which of the following is not an advanced village/town of the Near East? a) Halaf b) Hassuna c) Khirokitia d) Cayonu

c) Khirokitia - this was an early farming village

Which is not true for the characteristics of Hassuna as an archaeological site? a) pottery was widespread over the geographic area b) they had communal structures c) had larger and more complex house structures (barn-like) d) had a very limited range of domesticates

d) they had a wide range of domesticates - Communal structures referring to Umm Dabaghiyah

Which time period were the Hassuna, Samarran and Halaf cultures set in?

Hassuna - 8000 BP Samarran - 7500 BP Halaf - 7000 BP

This culture's pottery is important archaeologically because it contains elaborate designs that might imply the production of status goods.

Samarran Culture

Which is true of the Samarran sites? a) Their villages contained communal structures. b) There was increased centralisation and fortified elements suggesting competition and warfare. c) The houses are larger and more complex, did not have as much fortification. d) They were situated in large, forest clearings.

b) Referring to Tel es-Sawwan

Which culture had a very well defined, wide area pottery tradition? It also had a much wider distribution of sites (across Northern Mesopotamia) in comparison to all other cultures.

Halaf Culture

Which of the following is not a characteristic of Samarran pottery? a) Increased centralisation b) Social stratification c) Completely independent of Hassuna d) Irrigation agriculture

c) It is still related to Hasunna pottery

This archaeological site shows evidence of increased centralisation and some fortified elements suggesting intergroup competition and warfare.

Tel es Sawwan

Sumerian/Babylonian seals were a product of which culture? a) Hassuna b) Samarra c) Halaf d) Ubaid

b) Samarra

Agriculture Flashcards

(91 cards)