Agriculture, the technology that changed the world (and us) A seasonal cycle of moving to different campsites to utilise food sources changed to working the land. Neolithic farmers appear to have genetically dominated the smaller hunter-gatherer groups within a short period of time. 🏺🦣🧪 - ThreadSky

ancientcraftuk.bsky.social • 24 days ago

Agriculture, the technology that changed the world (and us)

A seasonal cycle of moving to different campsites to utilise food sources changed to working the land. Neolithic farmers appear to have genetically dominated the smaller hunter-gatherer groups within a short period of time. 🏺🦣🧪

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emileeimermann.bsky.social•24 days ago

The Neolithic package (so-called by prof. M. Özdogan)

ancientcraftuk.bsky.social•24 days ago

Further evidence from Denmark shows that an individual of Mesolithic hunter-gatherer ancestry lived with the new agriculturalists before they were brutally killed. Are we seeing a violent takeover? New ideas & technology spreading? Colonisation? Or a combination?

📸 @emlouwynjones.bsky.social

ancientcraftuk.bsky.social•24 days ago

This new method of producing food might mean you don't have to move as much on a seasonal basis, and offer the opportunity for population growth. We think of bread when talking about grain, but it can also be used for brewing, and Neolithic people didn't miss the opportunity!

merryn02.bsky.social•23 days ago

Also when I read through your analysis of the Neolithic here, I see references to violence. You make replica weapons, so maybe this is your perspective? We all interpret the past in different ways. We sent you malt to work with last year. You made malt sugars. An important part of neolithic diet.

merryn02.bsky.social•24 days ago

It's nice to see the idea of Neolithic brewing (ale made from malt) being discussed. Interesting to consider how it was consumed. I reckon there's more to it than you might think. A special drink, maybe, not an everyday thing. There's also potential for medicinal uses due to herbs added to the ale.

ancientcraftuk.bsky.social•24 days ago

But the downsides are the hard work involved that left its mark on peoples bones and shortened their average lifespan. Grinding large quantities of grain, breaking ground with antlers and felling trees all took its toll. Then there is the violence.

ancientcraftuk.bsky.social•24 days ago

With this new way of life and larger populations came a noticeable increase in violence towards people of all ages and sexes. Significant proportions of skeletal remains in Neolithic tombs show blunt force trauma that would have been fatal.

ancientcraftuk.bsky.social•24 days ago

Raids on enclosures saw the use of hundreds of flint-tipped arrows that would have rained down on the occupants at places like Crickley Hill.

Noticeably, the faunal remains at Neolithic sites shows a shift away from wild hunted game, and yet archery equipment remains common.

ancientcraftuk.bsky.social•24 days ago

This was probably due to defence/offence and an opportunity to show status through martial prowess. You can imagine cattle raiding was common at this time and while herders wanted to protect their livestock from other Neolithic groups, the last Mesolithic groups must have also seen an opportunity.

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