INTRODUCTION
Hunters and gatherers is a society which exists between 12000 – 10000 BC. They use one primary subsistence method which is experimenting with tools, hunting and travelling in search for edible animals and plants. Some of their characteristics are:
- They are able to adapt to changes occur in environment, resources, and climate.
- They hunt, gather, and use many resources in a small amount rather than exploit few resources in a huge amount.
- They travel or move seasonally to find more available resources or food.
Agriculture is a practice to gain benefits from the environment, employing more effective and efficient manner of cultivation by using some tools or technology invented by human. It domesticates both the animals and plants. In the end, it forms the basis of new life which is called civilization.
|
Horticultural society |
Agricultural society |
| Simple |
Cultivate plants but no plows
Use only wood and stone tools |
Cultivate plants and use plows
Use only copper and bronze |
| Advance |
Use metal tools and weapons |
Use iron tools and weapons. |
There are some arguments between archaeologists for the reason behind the transition from hunters and gatherers to horti-agricultural. Some say that the development of agriculture may have been triggered by the climate change which is also followed by the retreating of glaciers. Some others argue that it is because of population growth and changes in exploitation of local resources. Plant domestication is brought because human are constantly in contact and consume plant or even specific plant. Agriculture provides a stable and large quantity of produce, therefore human population is growing even more.
THE EVIDENCE
Legend:
a. Horti-agricultural economics took root in the Near Eastern (Fertile Crescent)
b. Goat domestication in Zagros Mountains
c. Sheep cluster
d. Cattle and pig as domesticated animals in Abu Hureyra
The first agricultural sites were found in the Near East. It is in the Nile Valley and Western Asia, in Anatolia (modern Turkey, shown above), in northern Syria, in valleys of the Zagros Mountains in Iran, and along the Jordan River Valley [2].
North China mainly plants Foxtail Millet and Rice. In 6000BCE there was a fowl as domesticated animal. It is believed that it is derived from the red jungle fowl of Southeast Asia [1].The other evidence of agricultural era is founded in Mesoamerica. They planted beans, chilies, and maize. The yielded carbonized specimen is founded in Tehuacan Valley between 5500 – 4500 BCE. It is appeared to be the earliest maize’s cobs [1].
AGRICULTURAL’S INFLUENCES
| Advantages |
Disadvantages |
| Permanent society and environment is created because there is more reason to devote a considerable amount of effort to develop the residences. |
It has great dependency to weather condition which influences the growth of the particular crops planted. |
| The condition of having a permanent society and environment encourage the expansion of technology such as making clothes, working with the wood, etc. They have more capability and availability to invest their time in exploring such skill and knowledge. |
The agriculturalist has high dependency on harvest time. Therefore they have to gather the food for two or three consecutive harvest time |
|
Agriculture requires intense and sustained physical effort |
There are also some challenges in agricultural age they have to face and solve.
- They need to develop elaborate cultural practices for disposing of wastes and maintaining a hygienic environment such as their corpse, their food wastes of their livestock. Otherwise, it will cause a problem such as polluting one’s living place. Compare with the foragers, they can stay clean and healthy just by moving seasonally or constantly.
- The increase of population growth. There is a tendency to have more children in agriculturalist family to help them in processing the farm. It is contrary with the forager’s mindset; they have to limit the number of children to be taken care of in order to make their life simpler.
- The emergence of infectious disease. It is mainly related to difficulty of maintaining hygienic living space and population growth.
The transition from domestication of plants and animals does not mean that it transform to fully completed agricultural societies. It introduces the whole new block of considerations, where each consideration might trigger new consequences. Below are the consequences that occurred in agricultural societies.
- The rise of social elite or social hierarchies which lead to different means of decision making and governmental organization.
- The emergence of wealth’s hierarchy, status, and power which is caused by the developing of specialization in social and economy
- The emergence of “private” and “public” life influences the way people perceived their existence.
- Lower life expectancy due to diseases.
- The high possibility of increasing number of erosion. Agriculture has a tendency to degrade the soil. There is a tendency to grow a certain plant on the same area of land for certain of time due to the demand. It can deplete even very rich soil.
SOCIETY COMPLEXITY in MESOAMERICA and MESOPOTAMIA
Agricultural societies require the human to take initiatives, consideration, and action to overcome those challenges, consequences, and the negative values of having the agricultural system. It made them to organize or build up such a system that can accommodate all of those issues which is in the end creating the hierarchically differentiated society. Therefore, we can say that the existence of agriculture triggers the emergence of social, economic, and political complexity. In the other word, it builds up a complex society. Let’s explore in detail the Mesoamerica and Mesopotamia using the table below.
|
Mesoamerica |
Mesopotamia |
| Social and
economic foundations |
The emergence of hierarchy of site.
Irrigation system through the city to supply water for crop production. (Olmec) |
Irrigation system through a system of dikes, dam, and canals which requires high level of organization, and effort.
Wool production was large and being used as a textile fabrics.
Agriculture is dominated by the cultivation of barley which is used as means of payment. |
| Settlement archaeology |
The houses were made out of wooden walls with clay and palm roof tops (Olmec) |
The houses were made from mud brick |
| Mortuary archaeology |
Rich tombs, isolated ceremonial sites |
Nature grave goods for lower strata |
| Art |
Elite architectures
Carving
Painting upon paper, building plaster, wood, stone, clay, stucco molds and terra cotta figurines. |
Pottery and jewelry
History and poetry was recorded and set down to music.
Lyres, pipes, harps and drums is used to accompany song and dances. |
| Written documents |
Sophisticated system of writing (maya), found in inscriptions on stone and wood. |
Pictographic, later it was used to represent Sumerian phonetic and words. |
| Believe |
strongly featured animals and animal symbolism (shamanism) |
The emergence of god and goddess |
Base on the definition given in the table above, we are able to conclude that the society structure does exist in both Mesopotamia and Mesoamerica. It includes also the emergence of social organization, leadership, managing organism, specialization division, and other things that need extra consideration, knowledge, and specialization.
References
[1] Bogucki, Peter (1999): The Origins of Human Society, Oxford UK: Blackwell Publisher Ltd
[2] http://www.wsu.edu/gened/learn-modules/top_agrev/4-Agriculture/agriculture2.html
[3] http://www2.fiu.edu
[4] http://www.wsu.edu/gened/learn-modules/top_agrev/agrev-index.html
Note : 9
Because I failed it.
) ….and I was totally forget that I was boiling my meat. 
Thanks!).
