Synopses & Reviews
Archaeologists have come to recognize that agriculture didn't just emerge in one or two places, but was independently invented several times over. In The Emergence of Agriculture, well-known archaeologist Bruce Smith charts the course of the agricultural revolution as it occurred in the Middle East, Europe, China, Africa, and the Americas -- revealing how truly varied the patterns of animal and plant domestication were in different parts of the world
Exploring how basic archaeological methods and modern technologies such as plant analysis, radiocarbon dating, and DNA sampling are used to investigate the origins of agriculture, The Emergence of Agriculture offers an intriguing and original account of one of the most important events in human history.
Description
Includes bibliographical references (p. 215-218) and index.
Table of Contents
In search of origins -- Creating new plants and animals -- New technology and the search for agricultural origins -- The Fertile Crescent -- Europe and Africa -- Middle and South America -- Eastern North America and the Southwest.