Chapter 2 Section 2

The Neolithic Age

I. Facts– Neolithic (New Stone Age) about 8000

B.C. people changed from food gatherers to food producers.

– Neolithic Revolution – when food was obtained from farming and herding – changed the way people lived

II. Farmers and Herders – People discovered that seed from wild grain

(wheat and barley) could be planted and harvested.

• Southwestern Asia – wheat, barley • Southeastern Asia - millet, rice, soy beans • Mexico – corn, squash, potatoes, • Africa - peanuts, grain (sorghum)

– People could herd animals when they built fences and chased animals into a ravine.

• Animals became domesticated (tamed – and unafraid of humans)

• Began breeding animals • Donkeys, Camels, llamas were used as pack

animals.– Neolithic Revolution – increased food =

increased population • Year 8000 B.C. = 5 million people • Year 4000 B.C. = 90 million people • People began living longer

III. Early Villages – Once people produce food, they began to settle in

one place – Villages (with shelters) 150-200 people in an area

with good soil and water supply – Jericho (present day Israel) 8000 B.C. oldest village in

Southwestern Asia – Abu Hureyra (present day Syria) 7500 B.C. – Catal Huyuk (present day Turkey) 6500-5700 B.C.

• Fire preserved wood and cloth items so archeologists know a lot of information about this village.

• Houses – sun dried mud brick, flat roofs made of reeds and mud

– Post and lintel – architectural contribution (horizontal length of wood or stone placed across two upright poles.)

– 2-3rooms with no doors. Hole in roof was entrance (use ladder).

– Houses were crowded together on side of hill.– Floors – covered with rushes (grass like plants) sleeping

plat forms were covered with mats. – Open court yards with large ovens – Vegetable gardens, apple orchards, fields of grain, and

pastures (sheep and cattle) were beyond the houses.

IV. Specialization – Specialization (development of occupations)

potters, weavers, metal workers. They exchanged their goods for grain, fruit and meat.

• Pottery – made from clay, carried and stored food, cooking use. (Soups and Stews)

• Weave Cloth – wool spun into thread then woven on a loom, died cloth bright colors (clothing)

• Work Metals – made beads, jewelry and weapons out of copper, lead, gold, and silver lumps.

( stone, bone, and wood – were still used more.)

V. Government – Land ownership caused government

to become more complex. (boundaries were set and land was passes down to children)

– Single chief was chosen – he would settle disputes (with the help of a small group) and direct village activities

VI. Religion – Chiefs were also priests – offered

prayers for rich soil, healthy animals, water for crops.

– Forces of nature were prayed to first, then gods and goddesses were created to respresent these forces.

• Earth Mother- goddesses of fertility (alters for the goddess were found in Catal Huyuk)

– Separate places of worship were built at this time