TRANSITIONS FROM FORAGING TO FARMING
ANTH 4262/6262

Course Description: This course surveys the archaeological evidence for the worldwide rise of food production, specifically the transition from hunting and gathering to the domestication of plants and animals. Evidence derived from zooarchaeology, archaeobotany, human bioarchaeology, and other archaeological sciences is used to identify where and when food production originated. The course reviews the characteristics of domesticable taxa and the processes involved in the domestication of plants and animals. Case studies from Africa, Asia, Europe, North America, Mesoamerica, South America, and the Pacific illustrate the general concepts and definitions. The course ends by examining the environmental, biological, and cultural consequences of the rise of food production and the ways in which the process continues today.

Course Objectives: Given a world map, the students should identify where food production originated by listing the centers of domestication and identifying the major axes along which food production spread from one region to another. Students should also identify the important taxa that were domesticated in those areas.

Students should demonstrate their understanding of the origin, timing, and processes of domestication by summarizing the archaeological evidence for this transition in each region.

Students should differentiate between wild and domestic taxa by listing the characteristics of domesticable taxa, by identifying the ways in which domestic taxa differ from their wild ancestors, and by identifying the archaeological markers of domestication.

Given a relevant case study or current archaeological research article, students should demonstrate their understanding of general concepts by identifying the main research questions, primary and supporting data classes, and major conclusions; and by critically evaluating or placing the case study in historical context.

Students should compare the archaeological evidence for the transition to food production using case studies and should describe the environmental, biological, and cultural consequences of domestication in each region.

Students should demonstrate understanding of laboratory and analytical techniques by identifying and explaining the materials, methods, strengths, and limitations of zooarchaeology, archaeobotany, human bioarchaeology, and other archaeological sciences.

Some topics which may be covered in the course include: