description: In this text, the archaeologist, Bruce Smith, explores the initial emergence and early expansion of agriculture and the transformations in human society that made it possible. He charts the course of the agricultural revolution as it occurred in the Middle East, Europe, China, Africa and the Americas, showing how basic archaeological methods and modern technologies, such as plant analysis, radiocarbon dating and DNA sampling are used to investigate this event. Although in the agricultural mind, the agricultural revolution is often seen as a one-step transition from hunter-gatherer societies to farming ones, Smith shows how truly varied were the patterns of animal and plant domestication in different parts of the world.
language: English
title: Emergence of Agriculture
titlecomplete: Emergence of Agriculture
genres: Environment, Science, Anthropology, History, Food, Archaeology, Nonfiction
ratings_count: 24
series: Scientific American Library Series
awards: awardedAt: 852105600000
name: Society for American Archaeology Book Award
publisher: Diane Pub Co